COMPLETE MANUAL 



FOR THE 






DESCRIPTION OF THE BEST TARIETIE3. 

ALSO, NOTICES OF THE 

RASPBERRY, BLACKBERRY, CRANBERRY, CURRAXT, 
GOOSEBERRY, AND GRAPE; 

WITH DIRECTIONS FOR THEIR CULTIYATIOX, AND THE SELECTION 01 
THE BEST VARIETIES. 

* ttfejj process here recommended has been proved, the plans of others tried, and the result is here given.** 



SIXTH EDITION. 






BY r/'g^ PARDEE. 

WITH A VALUABL^ APPKNDIX, 

OOJITAINmiJ THB 0B8BRVATI0.NS AND EXPKRIKSCE OF 80MB OF THE MOST ft:eCE?SFL'L 

CDLTIVAT0B8 OF THESB FROTTS IN OUB COUNTRY. 



NEW YORK: 
A. 0. MOOEE, AGRICULTURAL BOOK PUBLISHER, 

(late C. M. 8AXT0N & CO.,) 

NO. 140 FULTON STREET. 
18 5 8. 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1S56, by 

C. M. SAXTON & CO. 

la the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United Slates, for the Southern Di! 
New York. 



Etitoavt) (P. Jfnktns,.yiwtfr, 
No. 26 Fhansfokt r<TREKr. 



-tii 



Contents. 



PAGE 

Preface to the Ihtrd Revised Edition 5 

Preface 9 

The Strawbeery 13 

Situation 17 

Selection of Soil 18 

Preparation of Soil 19 

Manures 21 

Transplanting (Time and Manner of) 25 

Mulching 30 

AVatering 31 

Cultivation 3J 

Field Culture 31: 

Production '^'^ 

Kenewal of Beds 42 

AVinter Protection 43 

Sexuality 48 

Forcing 53 

Seedliugs -. 57 

Classification 58 

Selection of Varieties CO 

McAvoy's Superior — Hovey's Seedling — Monroe Scarlet — 
Burr'ri New Pine — Longworth's Prolific — Walker's Seed- 
ling— McAvoy 's Extra Red— Jenney'b Seedling— Moyamen- 
sing Pine — Largo Early Scarlet — Crimson Cone— Iowa — 
Rival. Hudson— Genesee Seedling— Willey— Princess Alice 
Maude— Boston Pine— Black Prince— Lizzie Randolph— 
Swainstone Seedling — Myatt's British Queen — Large 
White Bicton Pine— Barr's New White— Prolific Hautboy. 

(3) 



IV CONTENTS. 

PAGB 

Analysis of the Strawberry Fruit and Plant 79 

Raspbekry 81 

Fastolf — Francoai — Red and Yellow Antwerp — Kuevett's 
Giant — Large-fruited Monthly — Ohio Ever-bearing. 

Blackberry 88 

White — Improved High Bush — ^New Eochelle. 

Cranberry 94 

Black. 

Currant 95 

Black Naples— White and Red Dutch — White and Red Grape 
— Cherry— May Victoria — Knight's Sweet Red — Largest 
White Provence. 

Gooseberry 09 

Crompton'g Sheba Queen — Woodward's Whitesmith— Roar- 
ing Lion — Crown Bob — Houghton's Seedling, &c. 

Grabe 104 

Isabella — Catawba — Clinton — Concord — Diana — Black 
Madeira, &c. 

APPENDIX. 

Peabody on Ever-bearing Strawberries Ill 

Peabody's Letter to R. G. Pardee Ill 

Huntsman's Experiments 121 

Long-worth's Letter to R. G. Pardee 124 

Report of Cincinnati Horticultural Society liG 

Barry's Directions for Cultivation of Strawberry 1:9 

Mead's '•' " " MO 

Fruit and Yc';cetable Garden 150 



i'u THE THIED KEVISED EDITION 

In responding to the call of the public for another 
edition of the "Manual," we have taken occasion in 
the light of the thoughts, suggestions, observation, 
and experience of another year to give it a most thor- 
ough revision, and perfect it for a more permanent 
form. 

Quite a number of new, and it is thought valuable, 
articles have been added, among which we will specify 
those on ^^ Productions^'' ''^ Field Culture^'' ^'' Manures^'' 
and on the Blackberry. Several have been almost 
entirely re-written, and all amended so as to particu- 
larly guard against being misunderstood, even where 
the whole article is not read in the same connection. 

We did hope by an extended correspondence with 
many of our best horticulturists to gather more exact 
and reliable statistics. But it appears to be a fact that 
most things connected with strawberry culture in our 
country is yet in a lax and unsettled condition. 

5 



VI PEE?ACE. 

Few, even among our best growers, cultivate well 
for more than one season in succession ; one good crop 
is gathered, and the next season all is too often neg- 
lected, and the crop is a failure ; the result is that the 
testimony of many of our prominent horticulturists is 
too often so changeable as to be of little permanent 
value.. One year one thing, and tlie next year just 
the reverse, because by neglect one season there was 
no trial. Too many weeds or too many plants have 
rendered good varieties unproductive. 

The past season has been prolific of fruit, but rather 
barren in the testing of varieties, or improvements in 
modes of culture. 

Hovpy^s Seedling has well sustained itself, and even 
gained upon its reputation in the vicinity of Cincinnati. 
McAvoiJs Sujoerior has only sustained its reputation in 
some favored localities. Longwortli s Prolific has gained 
in reputation among some of our most intelligent 
amateurs. Walker^s Seedling, Jenmjs Seedling^ Burros 
New Pine^ Monroe Scarlet^ Genesee^ Moyamensing^ Bos- 
ton Pine and ^Yhite Bicton Pine have not at least lost 
ground. Among the new varieties Scotth Seedling^ 
Hooherh Seedling^ Jenny Lind^ Pennsylvania^ and Lucy 
Fitch from the West have attracted considerable atten- 
tion, and are all now in various localities under experi- 
ment. The Lawton Blackberry is exciting deservedl}' 
increased interest. 



PREFACE. VU 

The Fruits of America are so fine as to claim more 
time, more care^ more intelligent observation, and per- 
sonal attention than has hitherto been given to them, 
for in no other way can old mother earth be ma^le to 
yield a more sure and ample reward. "We shall do well 
always to remember, as quoted by Mr. Downing, that 
" Fine fruit is the flower of commodities." 

B. G. F. 

New York, January, 1856. 



This work has been prepared for the press, in the 
belief that it was wanted by the public. 

The author has, in a direct, plain manner, simply 
given his own experience. 

Every process here recommended has been proved ; 
the plans of others tried, and the result is here given. 

Every variety of fruit here introduced — except the 
Lawton Blackberry and tAvo or three small, unimpor- 
tant fruits — has been planted, fertilized, watered, cul- 
tivated, and carefully watched daily for months, and 
in most cases, for years; so that it is not mere theory, or 
second-hand information from amateurs or gardeners, 
hov*^ever superior, that is here recorded. 

With proper cultivation, a large crop of strawberries 
may be expected every year with as much certainty 
as a crop of corn, and in fact, more so, for our direc- 
tions embrace a protection from drought, which so 
frequently lessens the corn crop. 

It will be readily seen that the author has not fol- 
lowed the rules and order usually observed in treating 
1^ 8 



PREFACE. Jx 

•Qpon these subjects ; but lias aimed to say what he 
means, in a condensed, business-like way, so that he 
may be understood by tlie mass of readers. 

It does not by any means follo^\^, that every one who 
reads this boolv will at once raise the largest and most 
luscious straivljerries and other choice fruits here named, 
in the greatest abundance. Few persons are thorough 
enough to do any thing well at first. 

Place a new recipe for making premium bread in 
the hands of six cooks, and it would be quite remark- 
able if half of them were so particular as to make good 
bread on the first trial. Some little thing which seems 
to the unskilled to be unimportant, may in fact be 
esseyitial. 

It is pleasant to know that so many intelligent cul- 
tivators are now turning their attention to the produc- 
tion of these fine fruits, and w^e may reasonably expect 
much additional light will be thrown upon some 
points, which shall be included in subsequent editions 
of this work. 

The writer is happy to acknowledge his obligations 
to a large number of cultivators of these fruits during 
the last few years, for valuable suggestions which he 
has become so familiar with in practice, that doubtless 
even their precise language has been sometimes uncon- 
sciously woven into the text of this work. If it were 
possible, he would be more specific in his acknowledg- 



X PREFACE. 

ments, for it is pleasant to speak of such authors as A 
J. Downing, John J. Thomas, P. Barry, C. M. Hovey, 
and latterly F. R. Elliott, who has politely assented to 
our use of some of the accurate drawings of fruits from 
his new Fruit Book and Guide. 

Our Appendix embraces much valuable original as 
well as selected matter, which will place before our 
readers the views of others, beside our own, and in 
some points diverse, and which will enable them to 
exercise their own intelligent judgment, and we hope 
lead to successful practice. 

The Authok. 



TO THE SIXTH EDITION. 

After two years more of experience, observation 
and intercourse with intelligent cultivators, the author 
in review, can only re-affirm all the specific directions 
here given for the successful cultivation of the straw- 
berry. 

Considerable progress can be reported, from the 
additional light throAvn on the question of the best 
new varieties. 

Three new varieties claim especial favor at the 
hands of the public, viz., Wilsoii's Seedling of 
Albany^ IIooker''s Seedling of Rochester, and Jenny 
Lind from near Bcston. All are staminates, and all 
are believed to possess som.e special excellence. The 
first named, Wilson'' s^ seems to surpass all pistillate 
varieties in productiveness, thus interfering with long- 
establish eel theories on that subject. We counted on 
one plant, one year old, on the tables of the New York 
Horticultural Scciet}^, 260 berries! and on several 
plants in the garden 160 to 200 berries! many of 
which were of large size — and this on single plants, 
not stools of plants. The seconel, Hooker^ s^ is very 
large, very productive and of exquisite flavor, rival- 
ing Burr's New Pine in this regard. The third, Jenny 
Lind^ promises to supercede Large Early Scarlet 
in size, productiveness, and as an impregnator to the 
pistillate varieties. 

Hovey's Seedling^ LortgiuortK's Prolific^ and Walker'^s 
Seedling, retain their favorable position in the public 
favor. The above list comprises, we think, a list of 
the best six varieties, and it is somewhat remarkable 

xi 



Xii PREFACE. 

that all but Iloveyh are staminates. McAvoy's Super- 
ior appears to have lost ground, but it may be, because 
it has been extensively confounded with McAvoy's 
Extra Eed, a similar variety, but having an inferior, 
brisk acid flavor. 

Peabody's Seedling has not been sufficiently tested 
at the North as yet to warrant a special notice. 

Several English varieties are spoken of favorably, 
such as Trollope's Victoria, Sir Harry, Sir Charles 
Napier, &c. ; but we apprehend they will mostly 
remain as pets in the amateur's gardens like the 
imported varieties heretofore introduced. 

Crimson Cone is yet the principle market fruit 
around New York. It is handsome, fair size, brisk 
acid, bears carriage well, is easily cultivated, and 
moderately productive. 

Among the liaspherries^ Brinclde's Orange is gaining 
favor, and the same may be said of the Dorchester or 
Improved High Bush BlacJcherry of Massachusetts. 

The Cherry Currant is objected to, on account of its 
severe acidity. 

The Delaware and Eehecca Grapes are creating no 
little furore in the Horticultural world. They are 
certainly of delicious flavor, and if very early, hardy 
and productive as represented, will prove to be 
decided acquisitions. Several other new varieties are 
spoken of, but their precise value is so uncertain, that 
we can afford to wait. 

There is great encouragement at the present time to 
raise seedlings for the purpose of introducing new and 
improved varieties of all our smaller fruits, and not 
only cultivators generally, but amateurs, if they have 
but a small garden, will find much pleasure in these 
experiments. 

New York, March, 1858. The Author. 



THE STRAWBERRY. 



This is the most beautiful and delicious of all our 
early fruits, and so easily cultivated and so uniformly 
productive, that every housekeeper possessing a few 
rods of ground can have no excuse for not supplying 
his table with an abundance. 

Mr. A. J. Downing said truly, ''Ripe, blushing 
strawberries eaten from the plant, or served with sugar 
and cream, are certainly Arcadian dainties with a true 
paradisiacal flavor, and, fortunately, they are so easily 
grown that the poorest owner of a few feet of ground 
may have them in abundance." 

In the language of Mr. P. Barry — ''To grow large, 
handsome, fine-flavored fruit in abundance, it is not 
necessary to employ a chemist to furnish us with a 
long list of specifics, nor even to employ a gardener 
by profession who can boast of long years of experi- 
ence. Any one who can manage a crop of corn or 
potatoes can, if he will, grow strawberries." 

During many seasons we have had on trial in our 

(IS") 



1-1 THE STKAWBEKKY. 

garden from twenty to sixty varieties at a time, and 
altliougli some were comparatively unproductive, yel 
tlie average cost of producing them for years lias been 
less than fifty cents per bushel; beside the cost of 
gathering and value of plants, which were taken from 
our own garden. Others can, and have done, the same. 
We can refer to amateurs, market-men, farmers, and 
nurserymen in Western Kow York, who have raised 
them at even a smaller cost, both on a large and small 
scale. On a plot of ground fifty by sixty feet, we have 
repeatedly gathered over fifteen bushels in a season, 
under all the disadvantage of many varieties. With a 
good selection of kinds, and good attention, it is cer- 
tain that one hundred and fifty bushels can easil}^ be 
produced on an acre. We have on small beds grown 
at the rate of two hundred and fifty bushels to the 
acre, and we are assured that, on a larger plot, at the 
rate of two hundred bushels per acre has been gathered. 
It is almost as easy to raise extra-large, fine fruit, as it 
is small, indifi"erent berries ; and it is a decided object. 
Fruit of high flavor, measuring from three to four 
inches in circumference, will command fifty cents per 
quart in New York or any other good market, as 
readily as small fruit will ten cents ; while the labor 
of picking such large fruit is very small, and the pro- 
duct much larger. The demand for extraordinary 
fruit is ever}^ where increasing. 



THE STRAWBERRY. 15 

Of the many varieties on our own grounds one sea- 
son, more tlian twenty different kinds, without special 
effort, produced specimens four inches in circumference, 
while the largest were six. There is a positive plea- 
sure in raising such fruit, and our aim in this work is 
to enable many persons to make that pleasure their 
own. The interest on this subject has so increased and 
become so well-nign universal, that every village and 
neighborhood can call out a little company who will 
be glad to know how easily it can be done. 

Mr. Downing says, " The strawberry is perhaps the 
most wholesome of all fruits, being very easy of diges- 
tion, and never growing acid by fermentation, as most 
other fruits do. The oft-quoted instance of the gTcat 
Linn^us curing himself of the gout by partaking 
freely of strawberries — a proof of its gTcat wholesome- 
ness — is a letter of credit which this tempting fruit has 
long enjoyed, for the consolation of those who are 
looking for a bitter concealed under every sweet." 

An unknown writer in the last Patent Office Report 
says, "The strawberry was described by Juan di Cuba 
in his ' Ortus Sanitatis,^ in 1485, in which its medical 
and other properties are treated at length." He also 
eloquently says : — " When we contemplate the rela- 
tions which the strawberry plant bears to other parts of 
nature — to the sun which expands its blossom — to the 
winds which sow its seeds — to the brooks whose banks 



16 ' THE STRAWBERRY. 

it embellishes ; when we contemplate how it is pre- 
served during a winter's cold, capable of cleaving 
stones — how it appears verdant in the spring, withont 
any pains employed to preserve it from frost and snoAV 
— hoAV, feeble and trailing along the ground, it should 
be able to migTate from the deepest vallej^s to Alpine 
heights — to traverse the globe from north to south, 
from mountain to mountain, forming, on its passage 
over prairie and plain, a thousand mingled patches of 
checker-work of its fair flowers and scarlet or rose- 
colored fruit, with the plants of every clime — how it 
has been able to scatter itself from the mountains of 
Cashmere to Archangel, from Kamschatka to Spain — 
how, in a word, we find it in equal abundance on the 
continent of America, from the bleak fields of Tierra 
del Fuego to Oregon and Hudson's Bay, though 
myriads of animals are making incessant and universal 
havoc upon it, yet no gardener is necessary to sow it 
again — we are struck with wonder and admiration at 
so precious a gift." 



SITUATION. ' 17 



SITUATION. 



A warm, exposed, and yet ratlier moist location is 
the best for a strawberry plantation. 

If very early fruit be an object, select a side-bill 
gently sloping towards the south, with a liberal ad- 
mixture of small stones or coarse gravel in the soil. 
This should then be protected on the north, west, and 
east by a high closed board fence, or a live hedge, in 
order to be very early; Ave have seen an artificial 
hedge of withered evergreen boughs that had answered 
an excellent purpose, and enabled the owner to realize 
fifty cents per quart for the crop, when otherwise he 
could not have so much anticipated the usual season, 
and would have been compelled to take twelve and a 
half cents for the same fruit. 

If late fruit be desired, then select a piece of land 
facing the north, and exposed. Low land is usually 
preferable to high, hilly land for the strawberry, yet 
it can eastly be raised on both ; a little knowledge of 
its character will enable us to remedy the defects of 
the high ground. K the situation is near a spring of 
water, where it can be irrigated, and is also susceptible 
of drainage, it is very desirable. 

Though they will sometimes succeed when partially 
shaded with trees or shrubbery, yet they are best 



18 " SELECTION OF SOIL. 

flavored in an o|)en garden, ^vitli no shade but their 
leaves. Alpines, and some other kinds, planted in the 
northern shade of a fence or dwelling, will commence 
later and continue longer in their bearing season. 



SELECTION OF SOIL. 

New land, recently disrobed of its forest, if of a 
deep gravelly loam, we think is the best adapted to 
the strawberry, and next, a sandy loam ; but almost 
any soil, even the heaviest clay, can be prepared, by 
a liberal admixture of sand or gravel, so as to produce 
the finest quality and a large crop of fruit. 

As has been intimated, as low, soft, moist, cool soil 
as can be procured, consistently with depth and thorough 
drainage^ is best adapted to the strawberry ; and yet 
elevated knolls, and even sand-hills, with the precau- 
tions above-named, have often succeeded well. 

Wet, spongy lands, except with a porous subsoil 
susceptible of drainage ; and high, barren hills, with 
a thin, flinty soil, are alike to be avoided. 

The strawberry, however, is so retentive of life, that 
it will live in almost any soil ; but it will not produce 
much fruit, unless the remedies are in some way ap- 
plied to the ungenial soila 



PKEPARATION OF THE SOIL. 19 



PREPARATION OF THE SOIL. 

Clear tlie ground of weeds, roots, and seeds of all 
kinds, as far as possible, in preparation for tliorough. 
drainage, which in most soils should be attended to the 
first thing. The best drains are the earthen tile drains, 
from two to four rods apart, which should be so con- 
structed as to be left open at both ends for the circula- 
tion of the air, as well as the release of stagnant water. 
A brush or coarse stone drain is beneficial as a tempo- 
rary expedient. 

The strawberry is so sensitive to both drought and 
stagnant water that most of the best land in our coun- 
try should be well drained and trenched, if we would 
receive in return uniformly large crops of fruit in all 
seasons. After draining, break up the soil as deep and 
thoroughly as possible with a subsoil plough, or trench 
it with a spade to the depth of full twenty inches. 
By this process the strawberry roots can penetrate far 
below the efiects of our severest droughts, which never 
extend, in good soil, it is said, more than from five to 
seven inches below the surface. Where the ground is 
properly prepared, the roots penetrate to a much 
greater depth than is generally supposed. 

The late Mr. A. J. Downing assured us that he had 
traced the roots of a strawberry plant in one instance 



20 PREPARATION OF THE SOIL. 

through a shelving of rock and earth a distance of 
between four and five feet in length, in its search for 
water. 

Inasmuch as the fruit is composed of so large a pro- 
portion of potash, soda, and lime — sixty -two parts in 
every hundred, as will be seen by the tables in this 
work giving the analysis of the strawberry and plant 
— we recommend next, that an application to the acre 
be made of twenty to thirty bushels of unleached or 
leached ashes, ten to twelve bushels of lime — either 
stone or oystershell — with two or three bushels of salt, 
which should be thoroughly mixed with the soil, if 
possible some weeks before the plants are set out. It 
should never be forgotten that a frequent breaking up 
of the soil with the spade or fork before planting and 
stirring it up with a long tooth rake afterwards as long 
as it can be done without disturbing the roots ; laying 
every part of it open to the action of frost, air, and 
light, so that a portion of the soil, at least eight to 
twelve per cent, is reduced to the finest powder, is in- 
dispensable to the Ileal thy action of the many thou- 
sands, yea, millions of visible and invisible fibrous roots 
of the strawberry ; neither can we too strongly insist 
upon the fact that while the, strawberry fruit loves a 
pure finely pulverized virgin soil, it loathes the whole 
class of rich stimulating manures. 



MANUKES. 21 



MANURES. 

Leaf-mould, decomposed turf or peat, bog earth, new 
surface soil or muck, wood ashes and lime with a 
little salt well composted are, we think, the best manures 
for the strawberry. 

On old or exhausted lands deficient in life as well as 
nutriment, barn-yard and other animal manures are 
often used, we know with comparative success, but we 
much prefer the above manures where they can be 
obtained. In our garden soils or good conditioned 
fields we would simply apply ashes, lime, and salt. 
Plaster is injurious to the strawberry, but ashes leached 
or unleached are generally beneficial. 

We have not used any barn-yard animal manure dur- 
ing the last six or eight years in the cultivation of the 
strawberry in our own garden, and it was simply a 
a matter of careful experiment which induced us to 
eschew them altogether and adopt vegetable in prefer- 
ence. The animal manures were found to be too 
heating and stimulating in their character, forcing out 
a rank, strong growth of vines and runners, quite un- 
favorable to fruitfulness. It should always be borne 
in mind that the strawberry plant does not produce 
runners, leaves, and fruit, as a general thing, at the 
same time, "When the runners start, it will be noticed 



22 MANURES. 

that the fruit-bsaring propensity of the plant soon 
ceases. On the contrary, we have had strawberry 
plants in the open garden, north, in a soil two-thirds 
river sand with one-third finely pulverized garden 
soil, that continued in flower and fruit from June until 
September without showing any disposition to start a 
runner, until, by the addition of a little guano-water 
in SejDtember, the runners started, and the blossoms 
and fruit, as usual, then ceased to appear. 

The usual application of barn-yard, especially horse 
manures, without compost on strawberry plantations, 
besides producing an over-growth of runners and 
leaves, even before the earliest fruit is perfected, heats 
the earth where a cool moist sod is required ; and also 
fills the ground with seeds producing troublesome 
weeds, and mingles the soil with undecomposed por- 
tions of the straw, which, coming into injurious con- 
tact with the fibrous roots of the plants j)roduces disas- 
trous results. 

Our first successful experiment with the strawberry 
was on new land, which gave us an enormous crop of 
fruit. In order to increase the crop still more, the 
next year, we forked in rich manure between the rows 
and gave them the best of care, and obtained mon- 
strous vines and blossoms but not even a pint of fruit 
in the place of bushels — a perfect failure. We then 
trenched a soil three feet deep, made it rich and set 



MANURES. 23 

out some splendid plants from a bearing bed of Hovey's 
Seedlings, with an abundance of staminates within 
four feet. The vines were very large and line, but, 
alas ! did not produce one quart of fruit when fourteen 
months old. We then removed most of the rich soil 
and replaced it with sand, and the same bed bore us 
three bushels of overgrown Hovey's the next season. 
With the soil thus reduced, the plants very slowly and 
reluctantly threw out any runners, but continued bear- 
ing largely without change for four successive seasons. 

On or about the first of May, and again ten days or 
two weeks later, three times each spring, it has been 
our custom liberally to sprinkle our choicest beds with 
a solution in six gallons of water, of one quarter of a 
pound each of sulphate of potash, sulphate of soda 
(glauber salts) and nitrate of soda, with one and a half 
ounce of sulphate of ammonia. 

We would not represent this application to be essen- 
tial to the production of good fruit, but a continued 
series of experiments has proved to our satisfaction 
that it is valuable for amateurs, especially in increas- 
ing the size, quantity and superiority of the fruit. 

The apparent effect seemed to be to arouse the 
plants from the torpor of winter and give them in the 
early spring a strong, vigorous impetus, and aiding in 
the development of healthy plants for the production 
of large fruit. 



24 MANURES. 

We have often seen Hovej's Seedlings nearly twice 
the size of adjoining beds that were neglected in the 
application. The most favorable time for the sprink- 
ling seems to be at the close of a warm fine day when 
the crown of the plants are fally exposed. 

Where the above solution cannot be conveniently 
obtained, one-qnarter of a pound of sulphate potasli, 
sal soda, glauber salts, and one and a half ounce of 
sulphate or muriate of ammonia in six gallons of 
water, or either of them ap^Dlied alone, we have found 
useful as a substitute. 

Liquid manures composed of cow or hen droppings, 
or even soap-suds, we have not found good fertilizers 
for the fruitfulness of the strawberry, but they will 
increase the runners and promote the growth of the 
plants. 

It is expected that these liquid applications will be 
mainly confined to garden or amateur culture where 
there is an especial ambition to raise superior fruit. 

It will be seen from the interesting articles in our 
appendix A, from 0. F. Peabody, Esq., near Columbus, 
Georgia, that his own observations and extended ex- 
perience have led him to similar conclusions in regard 
to manures that are here presented. 

Various other intelligent observers and successful 
cultivators^ might be named in different parts of our 
country, who have been led to adopt the ^-^nme conclu- 



TRANSPLANTING. 25 

sions. We therefore say, empliaticallj, do not overfeed 
your strawberry plantations with, rich manures, for we 
are confident the great majority of the crops in our 
country are greatly lessened in so doing. 

It cannot be too often repeated, that if you give 
them the best — not the richest — pure soil, very finely, 
deeply pulverize it, and place it in the lightest, cleanest 
condition, and keep it so; get good plants of good 
varieties, and never let any single plants be nearer 
than ten inches to any other, the results will surpass 
your largest expectations. 

TRANSPLANTING^. 

This is a process to which the strawberry is most 
sensitive. The plant will live under almost any treat- 
ment, or any manner or time of transplanting, but will 
not always yield a full supply of good fruit unless this 
process is appropriately performed. First we speak as 
to TIME. 

For large plantations, or for ordinary cultivators, 
the early spring is perhaps the best season ; certainly 
it is the time when it can be the easiest and most suc- 
cessfully accomplished. The ground is soft and moist 
at that time, and the weather is usually favorable. 

The next season generally recommended is the 
month of September. Plants can then be easily ob- 
2 



26 TRANSPLANTI^^G. 

tained, and after tlae cool, moist fall weatlier has com- 
menced, tlie ground works easily, and tliere is not 
mucli difficulty in making them live. There is one 
danger, however, to be especially guarded against in 
fall transplanting ; that is, the plants may not get so 
firmly rooted as to be enabled to withstand successfully 
the severe frosts of winter. A liberal covering of 
straw will assist in remedying this matter. The ad- 
vantages gained over spring transplanting Avill be, the 
earth will not pack so very hard around the plants in 
the fall, as under the hot summer's sun and rains, and 
the plants will not be so likely to be checked in their 
growth as in the droughts which often occur in June 
and July or August; weeds will not so multiply — 
only a partial crop however can be gathered the next 
season. 

We have transplanted strawberry plants successfully 
for yearS) every month, from March until the 20th of 
October, without difficulty. With mulching, shade, 
and water, judiciously applied, it can be well done at 
any time. For our own planting, v^e prefer the 1st of 
July for several reasons. The ground, if thoroughly 
prepared then, will not be subject to become so hard 
packed. The Aveeds will not be so troublesome. If 
the plants get well started, and are not checked in their 
growth, they will produce very nearly a fuh crop of 
fruit the following spring. We have found that theso 



MANNER OF TRANSPLANTl^S G. 27 

advantages will amply repay the little extra care Id 
mulcliing, shading and watering. Ten or fifteen days' 
later planting will, seriously lessen the first crop, accord- 
ing to our observation. In spring planting, March will 
answer south of Philadelphia, and last of April and 
first of May for the north. None but careful, skilful 
cultivators however should transplant in midsummer. 

MANNER OF TRANSPLANTING. 

The best way undoubtedly is, to take the first runners 
as soon as fairly set, and remove them with a trans- 
planting trowel, with the roots and earth -undisturbed. 
This however cannot be conveniently done, except the 
plants are in the same garden with the new bed. Neither 
have we ever found the first runners more productive 
than the subsequent ones, unless they are stronger. 

In most cases, plants come from a distance, and 
great care should be taken to get as large a proportion 
of the numerous fibrous roots as possible ; and in 
order to do this, the ground should always be well 
saturated with water, either artificially or otherwise, 
before the plants are taken up, and then the first 
thing to be done, is to mud the roots, by dipping 
them in a little mud-hole made in the garden soil, 
where the water has been poured and stirred, until it 
has become sufficiently thickened with the soil to 
leave a good coating of mud on the roots of the plants 



28 DISTANCE IN" TRANSPLANTING. 

as they are witlidraAvn. This greatly protects the 
plants on a short or a longer transportation. 

For transplanting, the earth should be levelled and 
made as flat as possible. If raised into beds or hills, 
it will invite the drought, to which the strawberry 
plant has a decided aversion. The plants should then 
be set out, leaving the roots in as nearly their natural 
spreading condition as possible ; with the fingers press 
the pure earth compactly around the body of the 
plant, being careful not to set the plant too deep. K 
there is any old bark or decayed portion of the leaves 
on the plant, remove it before setting out : an old plant 
will usually renew itself by sending out a new set of 
roots on being transplanted, and it should be remem- 
bered that the strawberry plant, while it places its 
roots, mainly, near the surface of the ground, yet a 
portion of its larger roots penetrate favorable soils to 
the depth of from two to four feet, and even a gi^eater 
depth in some cases, as has been stated. 

DISTANCE IN TRANSPLANTING. 

The Alpines and smaller varieties should always be 
eight to ten inches apart, while the larger varieties 
should be allowed ten or twelve to eighteen inches. 
Put one plant in a place, and let no other remain nearer 
than the above distances, and it is not material to suc- 
cess in cultivation whether you plant in rows, beds, or 



DISTANCE IN TKANSPLANTING. 29 

Jiills, if you do not hill them up. We often set out in 
rows, two feet apart, and leave the plants one foot from 
each other in the rows ; or a method by which we have 
enjoyed great success in producing the finest fruit, has 
been to prepare a plot of ground, and cover it with 
strong plants one yard apart, and stimulate these tem- 
porarily, by a liberal application of liquid manures or 
soap-suds from the wash, to send out runners, which 
will soon supply the intermediate ground with plants 
of nature's own planting, which is a little better done 
than any one else can do it ; care should, however, be 
taken to spread the runners so that the above distance 
of from eight to twelve inches can be preserved. Al- 
lowing plants to fill the ground too closely with runners, 
and permitting those runners to remain, defeats more 
good crops of fruit than almost any other error. 

'F 01 field culture^ set one plant in a place, eight inches 
to one foot from the next, in rows three feet apart, 
so as to leave room for a horse-cultivator to pass be- 
tween the rows, care being requisite not to approach 
nearer than eight inches to full grown plants, particu- 
larly when approaching the fruiting season. This whole 
process of field culture is the same in its general prin- 
ciples with that in the garden ; except, for the conve- 
nience of a horse-cultivator to pass between them, the 
rows should one way be planted the same distance 
apart as corn; then the same treatment as to clean 



80 MULCHINa. 

cultivation, and even water and mulching, as far as con- 
nient, is desirable. (See our article on that subject.) 



MULCHINO. 

This consists in covering the surface of the ground 
with something that is not injurious to the plant, to 
protect it from the intense heat of the sun or extreme 
cold. From one to four inches in depth is the usual 
custom; the latter depth for pear, peach, and other 
fruit trees. 

For the strawberry, we prefer, as soon as the plants 
are set, at whatever season of the year, to cover the 
entire surface of the ground, including the walks, with 
tanbark, new or old, to the depth of half an inch or 
one inch, care being taken that it is left very thin — • 
only a slight coating — immediately around the crown 
of the plant. We have pursued this plan, and have 
never known a single plant injured by it ; on the con- 
trary, all the plants have been decidedly benefited. 
When using sawdust, we have sometimes been a little 
troubled with mildew, but never with tanbark. Some 
of our most intelligent horticulturists say it is a specific 
manure for the strawberry, which others deny ; we find 
it, at least, the best thing brought to our notice as a 
mulch. It is excellent to retain moisture and keep the 
earth in fine condition under it ; very few weeds will 



WATER. 31 

ordinarily trouble us, where tlie tan is one incb. in 
thickness, and altogether it is excellent. Where tan 
cannot be obtained, sawdust will do, if not applied 
too thick. Leaf-mould is very good, if the soil is not 
already too rich. Straw is good, but green rowen or 
fresh-cut grass, if the seeds are not ripe, is better still ; 
any thing, in fact, not injurious, that is convenient and 
adapted, can be used. 



WATER. 

The strawberry has a great relish for good, clear, 
cold water. We have often seen them take a strong 
shower-bath at midday, in the face of the hottest sun 
in July, without skrinking. A slight sprinkle, just to 
lay the dust, docs not satisfy them, but a thorough 
soaking is what they delight in — say a pailful of water 
to every six or eight plants, or every four feet square 
of earth. If you say "this calls for a great deal of 
hard work," we answer then, do not repeat it so often, 
but do it thoroughly whenever attempted. A few 
weeks since, we sent a friend some plants of new and 
rare kinds. A drought prevailed, and we feared he 
would neglect them, so we called to see them, and 
found he had set out and sprinkled them in the light- 
est, most delicate manner possible, and lost the most 
of them. Another friend to whom we gave a few 



32 CULTIVATION. 

plants at the same dry time, gave them a lliorough 
and repeated drenching, and saved all his plants. 

A garden engine is very convenient in a strawberry 
plot, for watering j)urposes, or a stream of water so 
situated as to irrigate, is better still. A water-ram, 
and water brought np in pipes, will accomplish the 
same thing. Ordinarily, daring the bearing season, 
sufficient rain falls, so that very little watering is 
needed: some seasons are so wet that no water i>s 
needed until the bearing season is over, and then the 
plants do not particularly require it; but a drought 
will soon compel the strawberry to cease bearing in 
ordinary soils. The remedy or preventive is deep soil 
and water, water, every day, and sometimes every 
night and morning. The evening, just at sundown, is 
the best time to water plants ; and in some cases it is 
desirable that the water should have been exposed to 
the sun and air before being applied, but we do not 
think this is necessary for the strawberry. 



CULTIVATION. 

Most persons bestow, erroneously, most of their 
labor in raising strawberries on their cultivation. On 
the contrary, if onr directions so far are strictly fol- 
lowed, the work is mostly done, except gathering the 
fruit. We have very little work to do in the way c»^ 



CULTIVATION. 33 

cultivation after planting, except watering and occa- 
sional pulling of Aveeds wliich appear through the tan, 
and neither of these ordinarily requires much time or 
labor. They must be kept clean and in good order, 
but we are very careful not to allow the hoe to be used 
nearer than eight inches to any full-grown plant, and, 
consequently, it is seldom or never used about the 
beds after the first month's planting. The reason is, 
the numerous fibrous roots so interhace and fill the 
ground for a space of six or eight inches around the 
plant, coming so completely to the surface, that the use 
of the hoe will cut off great numbers of those little 
roots, and we are unwilliDg to have our plants maimed 
in this way. It certainly greatly injures their bearing. 
The fork or spade should be kept at the same distance, 
for the same reason. The only time during the year 
we loosen the soil in our beds with the fork, is imme- 
diately at the close of the season of bearing, selecting 
the time when the ground is moist. And yet, we re- 
peat, the strawberries must be kept clean ; and the 
reader may here see a reason for all the minute and par- 
ticular description we have given in the preparation. 
It needs to be thoroughly done, because it cannot well 
be remedied afterwards. The plants will not admit of 
freely working among them, except with the hand, if 
uot kept at an unusual distance from each other, with- 
2* 



34 FIELD CULTURE. 

out reducing the crop of fruit. If our object is large 
and abundant fruit, the roots must not be disturbed. 

One qualification to the above : When new plants 
are set, unless prevented by mulching immediately, 
we, as often as every three days or week, for a month 
or so, hoe or rake the ground freely, and always stir 
the soil as close to the plants, as often, and as much as 
possible, only being cautious not to disturb the roots. 
On no account hill up the plants in the cultivation, or 
elevate the beds in good soil. 



FIELD CULTURE. 

Although most of the processes herein detailed for 
the garden are equally appropriate for those who are 
largely cultivating for market purposes, yet that class 
of persons are now becoming so numerous and impor- 
tant, particularly in the vicinity of our cities, that a 
general article, summing up the whole matter, may well 
be prepared for their especial convenience and benefit. 
Some points are so essential as to bear a distinct repe- 
tition. 

Select from your fiirm as far as convenient a rather 
low, cool, moist spot of ground, with an open, genial, 
pure soil ; somewhat like that we often find on the 
margin of streams of water or muck swamps, or bog 



FIELD CULTURE. 35 

meadows, or get something as near to this as you can 
find. A fine gravelly loam is preferable, and it is bet- 
ter if the land has betn thoroughly cultivated with 
corn or potatoes for a year or two previous, so as to 
leave the land in a light good condition, with the 
weeds, roots, and seeds mostly decomposed. The land 
should be well drained at once, for it will pay to do so. 
In September, on the removal of the crop of corn or 
potatoes, plough the ground well and subsoil it deep. 
Early in December apply to each acre of land ten or 
twelve bushels of lime — old will do — and two or three 
Dushels of common salt, and then with deep ploughing 
break up the soil again, throwing it up into ridges as 
far as the plough Avill do it, so that in the most exposed 
condition it may be well prepared for the combined 
action of the snow, frost, air and light of the approach- 
ing winter. 

In the spring, as soon as the ground is in order to 
work to advantage, apply thirty bushels leached or 
unleached ashes to the acre. If the soil is poor, or not 
in tolerably good condition, avc would the fall previous 
take the lime, salt, and ashes with an equal quantity 
of good muck, or marl, or woods' mould, or good turf 
or surface soil and make a compost heap. Keep it moist 
and often stir it, and apply it all to the ground in 
the spring instead of putting on the lime and salt 
with the December ploughing. Perhaps it might be 



36 FIELD CULTURE. 

well, however, to divide the lime and salt and put 
half of it on the land previous to the December plough- 
ing, and the remainder put into the compost heap. 

If the land is too light and sandy it will be benefited 
by an additional moderate application of clay. If the 
soil is too heavy add sand or bog earth ; if heavy 
and poor, put on a light coating of good loam or muck, 
and if you prefer animal manure, choose that of the 
cow or hog, instead of the horse Avhich is too heating. 
If coarse gravel, add loam. It will be the best econo- 
my to attend thoroughly to all these things, for they 
Avill pay well. Nothing unnecessary is here specified. 
The products per acre from a field of market straw- 
berries vary from $100, $200, $400, $1,000, $1,300 or 
more per acre, and the difference is so great as amply 
to remunerate for a most liberal application to the soil 
or of labor in the preparation. 

As we have said, as early in the spring as the ground 
is in good working order, apply compost, &c., as above 
directed, and then immediately plough deep and as 
well as possible. Then harrow and cross harrow until 
the soil is well pulverized, and level the ground and set 
out the strawberry plants, as has been stated, one in a 
place eight or ten inches apart, in rows three feet dis- 
tant, so that they can be cultivated vrith a horse culti- 
vator between the rows ; beside, while the plants are 
young all the weeds should be removed with a hoe, 



FIELD CULTURE. 87 

care being taken, as often stated, not to disturb the 
small fibrous roots of the plant. We know some per- 
sons may think we insist too much on this point, and 
we also know there are those who have gathered fair 
but not large crops without much regard to the careless 
use of the hoe. The crop, however, will be so much 
increased that we shall be excused for so often repeat- 
ing that it will well repay to weed by hand for the 
space of a few inches around each plant, instead of the 
more destructive and rapid process with the hoe. Let 
it never be forgotten, however, that a strawberry plan- 
tation must he kept clean throughout the entire season. 
As we have said, a slight covering of straw in winter, 
and a mulch of tanbark, straw, or grass, just previous 
to fruiting, will increase the crop. 

Some persons, the first spring after the strawberry 
plants are set out, fill up the intervals of three feet 
between the rows with a row or two of beets. Inas- 
much as the plants are not expected to produce much, 
if any, fruit the same season when set in the spring ; 
therefore the occupation of the ground in this way is a 
very good one. 

When the plants get an early strong growth in the 
spring as we have recommended, care should be taken 
to remove the greater portion of the numerous runners 
which will strike previous to the coming winter. It 
is a very common and destructive error to allow too 



38 FIELD CULTURE. 

many plants to occupy the ground in the bearing sea- 
son. Often from five to fifty times as many plants 
can be seen on our strawberry plantations around the 
county as can bear fruit to advantage. It not unfre- 
quently occurs that twenty plants on a foot square will 
scarcely ripen forty diminutive berries, whereas two 
well selected and cultivated plants on the same space 
will yield us one hundred noble berries of twice the 
average size; we repeat, the strawberry must have 
plenty of room, light, and air, to yield its full supply 
of fruit. The low, short, stout plants are the best to 
select and leave for fruiting. Prepare the ground by 
clearing it, and prepare the plants by thinning them 
out in the fall for the crop of fruit the next season, so 
that in the spring the latter Avill not be disturbed in 
the process of perfecting the fruit. 

At the close of the fruit season stir up the ground 
with the cultivator, and prepare it for new plants 
whenever a renewal is necessary, and in such case, 
when the plants have become strong, run the cultiva- 
tor through the old rows, destroying them and leaving 
the plants on the intermediate spaces for bearing fruit 
the next season. Each year the plant should be as 
thoroughly prepared for fruiting as in the new bed. 
The popular varieties for market cultivation are 
Ilovey's Seedling and Crimson Cone among the pistil- 
late, and Large Early Scarlet and Iowa among the 



PRODUCTION. 39 

stammates. We recommend a trial for market pur- 
poses, and at first of course in a small way, of Monroe 
Scarlet, McAvoy's Extra Eed, Mojamensing Pine, 
and Jenny's Seedling. 



PKODUCTION. 

The past year, 1855, was, on account of the fre- 
quent early rains, an unusually favorable one for the 
strawberry. 

The crops were larger than usual, and the markets 
generally were well supplied. 

An extended correspondence, personal examination 
and inquiry has been undertaken to ascertain, or at 
least approximate to, the consumption during the last 
season in some of our principal cities. From all that 
has been accumulated on the subject our estimates are as 
follows : 

Kew York City 47 to 54,000 bushels. 
Philadelphia 10 to 14,000 '' 
Boston 9 to 11,000 " 

Cincinnati 11 to 14,000 '' 

"We are assured that New York City received many 
days more than 500,000 baskets, or over 3,000 bushels 
for its own consumption ,and for the supply of its sub- 
urbs. A single county in New Jersey from a single 
port, over twenty-five miles distant, sent us by steam- 



40 PRODUCTION. 

boats during one day last season 200,000 baskets; and 
several years ago the superintendent of the Erie K. E. 
certified to the secretary, Mr. Marsh, that the evening 
train of that day brought in 893 bushels strawberries. 

From all sources during the season we could have 
received scarcely less than 8,000,000 baskets, which at 
an average wholesale price of 2i cents per basket, (five 
baskets to the quart) would make an aggregate of 
$200,000. It should be remembered that much of the 
supply of Brooklyn comes through the New York 
market. 

Some single farmers around New York are cultivat- 
ing thirty or more acres. Cincinnati reported 9,000 
bushels strawberries in their market in 1851 or '52. 

We cannot learn that the common crop of the straw- 
berry either around New York, Philadelphia, Boston or 
Cincinnati actually exceeds twenty-five to fifty bushels 
j^er acre, although we have instances reported around 
all the cities of 100 bushels, and even 130 to 140 
bushels having been produced on an acre, or in that 
proportion ; so that the returns given in to us of the 
avails varies from $100 to $800 per acre, and the 
prices obtained ranges from 12^ cents up to $1 50 per 
quart. The latter price for the very earliest taken into 
Washington City from the vicinity. The ordinary re- 
turn for an acre, in order to be satisfactory to the 
growers, we are told is $200 ; and the expense of cul- 



PRODUCTION. 41 

tivating $15 to $25 per acre, with an additional expense 
of one cent per basket, or $1 50 per bushel for picking. 
It will thns be seen that in order to supply New 
York and vicinity with strawberries, about 1,500 acres 
of the choicest land in the vicinity is at present re- 
quired, and the other cities named about 500 acres 
each in proportion; w^hich is at least four times as 
nuich land as is either appropriate or necessary for the 
object, if the nature and cultivation of the strawberry 
was only as well understood as the raising of corn. 
A crop of 30 bushels of strawberries to the acre, is 
only about equal in proportion to a corn crop of 10 
bushels on the same ground. We seldom see a large 
strawberry plantation which after the first year has not 
many more plants on the ground than can get light and 
air sufficient to fruit well. The consequence is, that 
our city markets are mainly supplied with inferior fruit, 
simply because some of the commonest kinds ivill pro- 
duce a little, dwarfed, sour fruit, even under the worst 
treatment. Superior well-grown fruit will easily pro- 
duce twice and four times as much to the acre, and 
command from twice to four times larger prices in 
our city markets. Making the avails and the dif- 
ference from the same land, to be 25 bushels at 12^ 
cents per quart, or at least 125 bushels at 25 cents per 
quart, or $1,000 or $100 per acre. In one instance the 
net profits exceed $800, and in the others very little, if 



4:2 RENEWAL OF BEDS. 

any. One hundred and twenty-five bushels ought, to 
be only an ordinary crop, and $1,000 the product of 
any fair acre of land. 

We have often had small plots of ground produce in 
the ratio of twice that amount. 

A writer in 1 854 in the May number of the Albany 
Cultivator, from the old soil of W^est Haven, Connec- 
ticut, certifies to having realized $215 from the sales of 
strs:\vberries from 25 rods of ground, or at the rate of 
$1,300 per acre! 

In Hovey's Magazine, 1852, it is stated that Mr. 
Gore, of Maine, raised on a bed 11 by 43 feet at the rate 
of full 300 bushels -pev acre. How long in common 
fairness ought men to enjoy the stewardship of our 
choice land that is capable of producing such results, 
when they only equal one-thirteenth part of that 
amount! We would not dispossess them of their 
rights, but we beg of them to place the occupation of 
the land by sale or otherwise in more capable and effi- 
cient hands. 



RENEWAL OF BEDS, 

This should be done once in three or four years 
and the same ground should be planted with corn or 
potatoes for one season, and receive an application of 
lime, ashes, and salt, as advised in the article on the 



WINTER rilOTECTION. 43 

preparation of the ground, before it is again used for 
strawberries. The bed might be made to bear well, 
by a careful renewal of the old plants by their run- 
ners, for ten or a dozen years, but this would require 
rather more skdl in cultivation than most persons 

possess. 

Every year or two, if a strong runner has struck 
itself beside an old plant, we pull up the old plant in- 
stead of the runner, and are constantly thus renewing 
them. We always leave the best plants. The field 
cultivator has only to clean off the weeds, and prepare 
the soil in the spaces of three feet between the rows; 
allow the runners to cover that ground; then drive 
the cultivator or plough through, turning under the 
old row of plants; thin out the new ones to proper 
distances, and his system of renewal is complete. 

WINTER PROTECTION. 

Our experience is in favor of a slight winter protec- 
tion. It costs comparatively but little time or expense, 
on the approach of severe winter weather, to hastily 
scatter a thin coat of straw or old leaves over the 
plants; and they come out in so much better condition 
in the spring, and even the hardiest kinds bear so 
much better crops for it, that we never neglect it. 
Like mulching, almost any thing free from weeds, that 



44 WINTER PROTECTION. 

will not smother them or mildew, will answer the 
purpose, but clean straw is preferable, except they 
need the decaying leaves. 

Some years ago, we had an aged neighbor, who 
stood almost unrivalled in the cultivation of the straw- 
berry. One season he set out, on the first of July, 
about one-fourth of an acre of fine Hovey's Seedlings. 
He almost constantly and carefully worked among 
them with the hoe, the rake, and water-pot, and I 
never saw a plot of so fine strawberry-plants as these 
had become on the approach of winter. 

The old man was " very much set in his way,'' and 
among the things his creed discarded, was mulching 
strawberries; so, against my repeated remonstrances, 
he left them for the winter without mulching, with his 
usual preparation, which consisted in placing a half- 
inch deep of good earth around each plant, in a circuit, 
to the width of six or eight inches, leaving the surface, 
scolloped inwards towards the centre of the plant. 
The winter proved a severe one, and the old man was 
saddened in the spring, to find his fine plants drawn 
out of the ground to the length of three and four 
inches, and laid flat on the earth. One-tenth part of 
the labor he bestowed in hilling his plants for winter, 
appropriated to covering them with a little loose straw, 
would have saved them all. 



EVER- BEARING STRAWBERRIES. 45 



EVER-BEARINa STRAWBERRIES- 

The Bush Alpines have always borne a succession 
of crops during the season, when planted in the north- 
ern shade of a fence, and well taken care of, watered, 
mulched, &c. 

Some three or four years ago, the New Orleans Pica- 
yune announced that Mr. Henry Lawrence, a gentle- 
man of that city, had succeeded in obtaining a seed- 
ling, called the " Crescent Seedling ^^ which bore an 
abundance of large fruit for a continuous period of six 
or eight months or more, from March to December. 
"We wrote to Mr. Lawrence, and his answer confirmed 
all the 23aper had stated ; and he sent us in succession 
four or five different importations of plants of the 
Crescent Seedling, by the steamer and otherwise, until 
at last we succeeded in causing them to grow, and 
awaited their bearing season, when, alas! they only 
bore a moderate crop, and ceased bearing as early as 
any other variety in our ground; thus proving a 
failure, as far as perpetual bearing was concerned, 
under our ordinary mode of cultivation. The plant 
has extraordinary vigor, a rampant staminate, exceed- 
ing all varieties we hr^x ever seen in multiplying its 
runners. The experiment convinced us that it was 



46 EVER-BEARING STRAWBERRIES. 

not the variety, so much as the cultivation, and soil 
and climate, which gave it its continual bearing pro- 
perties. Some experiments since made with this va- 
riety, in soils so reduced as to be little else than coarse 
sand, favor this idea. Mr. Lawrence wrote me at the 
first, that he reduced his soil by three-fourths of pure 
river-sand; and, although I reduced my garden-soil 
considerably, yet it remained still very much too rich 
for the Crescent Seedling to develop its perpetual pro- 
perties. The various experiments, however, were by 
no means lost. 

About this time, it was announced by the press that 
Charles A. Peabody, Esq., the horticultural editor of 
the Soil of the South^ near Columbus, Georgia, had suc- 
ceeded, by reducing the soil, and with plenty of water, 
in making two well-known northern varieties — ^the 
Large Early Scarlet, and Hovey's Seedling — develop 
perpetual bearing qualities under the hot summer's sun 
in Georgia, furnishing fruit in quantities, from March 
till January. If this was the case in Georgia and New 
Orleans, could we not hope, by similar means, to 
extend our strawberry season north, during the months 
of July, August, into September? In October last, in 
an interview with Mr. Peabodj^, he gave it as his 
deliberate opinion that, by the process he detailed and 
pursued, we could easily have an abundance of fruit 
from our strawberry vines until frost came. We take 



EVER-BEARING STRAWBERRIES. 47 

pleasure in inserting Mr. Peabody's plan and directions 
in fall, in his interesting articles, in the Appendix, A. 

On the 20th December last, Mr. Peabody took np a 
few plants in fruit from his garden, and placed them, 
with the soil attached, in a basket, and sent them by 
express to Messrs. J. M. Thorburn & Co., 13 John 
street, New York. On their arrival, on Christmas 
Day, they were well loaded with large, ripe Hovey's 
and Early Scarlets, together with a large variety of 
green fruit, of all sizes, from that of a pea upwards to 
full-gTown berries. They remained on exhibition in 
their windows some two weeks, when they were 
politely handed to us, and we had them potted in a 
greenhouse, with soil composed mostly of sand. The 
plants all grew finely; in March they came into blos- 
som, and in May into ripe fruit. The foliage was very 
small, but healthy. They continued in blossom and 
bearing during the months of May, June, and July, 
without sending out a single runner, and some of the 
plants at the present time (the 14th of August) are in 
blossom, and have not started a runner. On one of 
the pots which had no runners started, we placed a 
very little rich soil, and in a week the plant threw up 
vigorous runners, caused by the slight addition to the 
richness of the soil. 

The inference we draw from all this is, that no 
variety is ever-bearing under our usual manner ol 



48 SEXUAL CHARACTEK. 

treatment, but tliat most kinds can be so trained, that, 
with a soil reduced largely enough with sand, and 
only vegetable manures applied, and plenty of water, 
and mulching when needed, they will continue to pro- 
duce fruit until the approach of frost. The whole 
tendency of our experiments in strawberries is in this 
direction. Professor Page has, in Washington City, it 
is stated, induced the Alice Maude to adopt the ever- 
bearing habit. E. P. Brooks, Esq., of Elmira, N. Y., 
had the Hautboys in bearing in the open garden in 
September and even in December, 1855. 

Amateurs and others will do well to try the experi- 
ment on a small scale, until they perfectly succeed ; 
and then the large price of a dollar or more per quart, 
which the markets of New York, Boston, and Phila- 
delphia will pay for such fruits in August, '^vill amply 
repay for the production on a large scale. Learn well, 
by observation, all the habits and tendencies of the 
strawberry in this regard, and we think the thing can 
be easily accomplished. 



SEXUAL CHARACTER. 

We now come to the great battle-ground of the 
giants, but will not enter ths lists, if we may be per- 
mitted to quietl}^ state a few things as our opinion, 
withcmt intending to reflect upon, or having even re- 



SEXUAL CHARACTER. 49 

mote reference to, any persons. It is very easy to see 
the manner in wliich some liave been led into error, 
viz. : the mixture, well-nigh universal, of different kinds 
of strawberries — an error productive of untold injury 
to successful cultivation. We have never seen two 
kinds of strawberry that might safely run in the same 
bed. On no account suffer it. The poorest kind will 
multiply its runners the most rapidly, and drive the 
well-bearing plants from the bed ; particularly is this 
the case, where that poor kind is a staminate. We 
think the direction given by the late Mr. Downing and 
others, to place the staminates on each end of the same 
bed, with the pistillates in the centre, an unfortunate 
one, for the beds and the plants are usually very soon 
destroyed in that way. We are very particular to 
place our staminates a greater distance from the pistil- 
lates : if 30 feet to 60 feet off, it is better. The bees 
and wind carry the pollen, and opposite sides of the 
garden, if the distance is 100 feet, will, we think, be 
ibund near enough to answer the same purpose. 
Neither would we allow pistillates, such as Hovey's 
Seedling and Burr's New Pine, to run together, but 
be very particular to keep each kind distinct and 
apart. We think it is Mr. Long worth who has stated, 
that if we place a single staminate plant, like the Large 
Early Scarlet, in the centre of a productive bed of a 
pure pistillate variety, in less than two or three years, 



50 SEXUAL CHARACTER. 

that one plant will drive every good fruit-bearing plant 
out of the bed. 

This is one reason why so many strawberry beds 
fail after the first bea,ring season ; so we repeat in the 
strongest manner, get -pure plants — difficult, we know 
— and on no account permit any two kinds to run 
together; place boards on edge between them, or in 
some way protect them from each other. 

After this episode on a yqtj practical point, we may 
be permitted to say, there are strawberry plants we 
call staminate, because they exhibit to the eye very 
distinct stamens. Our plate will illustrate this. An- 
other kind we call pistillate, because the naked eye 
can discover developed in the blossom only the pistils. 
Most of our intelligent horticulturists assure us, that 
the best staminates will only produce a part of a fail 
crop of fruit, while the pistillate varieties will produce 
no perfect fruit at all, without being impregnated by 
some staminates in the vicinity ; but when thus im- 
pregnated, the pistillates produce an abundance of the 
finest fruit. 

The interesting and accurate experiment of Mr. 
Huntsman, in the Appendix, C, sets this matter in a 
very clear light. 

Some of the staminates of recent introduction, like 
Walker's Seedling and Longworth's Prolific, are so 
very desirable, that every cultivator should have one 



SEXUAL CHARACTER. 61 

or both : it is, therefore, only important to notice tlio 
presence of tlie staminates in every collection of varie- 
ties, keep them distinct, and no sacrifice is required 
to conform to this theory, which seems to be -pretty 
universally established. Mr. Longworth's article in 
the Appendix, D, gives an interesting account of its 
discovery. 

Another series of plants are called Hermaphrodite — 
like Longworth's Prolific — because both stamens and 
pistils are in a greater or less extent developed, and 
they are represented to bear well, being alone. 

The great war that has raged so fiercely on the bor- 
ders of the strawberry kingdom during the past year 
or two, has been on the point, whether staminates ever 
change to pistillates, or vice versa. For many years 
we have noticed, with scrupulous care, these distinct 
characteristics of the various strawberries when in 
blossom, and we have never seen the first symptoms 




Fia. 1. Fio. 2. Pio 3. 

Fig. 1. A perfect flower furnished with etamens and pistils, a. the stamefi& 
t. the pistils, hermaphrodite. 
Fig. 2. A staminate or male flower. 
Fig. 3. A pistillate or female flower. 



52 SEXUAL CHAKACTER. 







Fia. 4. 



Fig 4. A perfect flower, with a stamen and pistil detactied. a, the anther. 

&, the filament, p, the pistil. 

of change in any variety. We do not know that a 
change in open-air cultivation is now much contended 
for from any quarter. We think the mixing of plants 
causes staminate and pistillate blossoms to be seen 
together. In forcing, we are told, by high authority, 
that some plants, like the melon, &c., change their 
sexual character, and why not the strawberry ? Wo 
do not know that this point, that the strawberry does 
so, has yet been fully established. 

The English varieties are mostly stammates, and 
bear fruit of extraordinary size and flavor; but we 
think not in so large quantities as some of our pistil- 
lates. Certainly all the English staminates prove com- 
paratively only second-rate in our soil and climate. 



FORCING. 53 



FORCINa. 

On this point our experience is very limited, having 
been confined to small experiments during the past 
winter : we therefore give the best information we 
have been able to obtain, from the highest English 
authorities. 

In the London Gardener'' s Chronicle^ edited in the 
Horticultural Department by Professor Lindley, we 
find the following directions from that most eminent 
horticulturist, Mr. Paxton : 

" Select for this purpose, in the middle of August, 
a sufficient number of the best runners from approved 
kinds to have choice from, and plant them six inches 
apart, in beds, upon a strong border in a dry and shel- 
tered situation. As soon as the leaves have withered, 
mulch them lightly with Avell-rotted manure, and if 
very severe weather occur, protect them for the time 
with fern or litter. They must be kept the following 
spring free from weeds and runners, removing also 
any flowers as they appear. Towards the latter end 
of May or beginning of June, whenever dull or rainy 
weather may occur, remove them carefully into forty- 
eight-sized pots. It is optional with the grower, 
whether one, two, or three plants are put in one pot, 



54 . roKCiNG. 

according to his object being quality or quantity ; but 
we, desiring fine fruit in preference to number, only 
place one of the strongest or two of the weaker in one 
pot, using enriched melon soil or turfy loam. Place 
them, when potted, in a situation where they can be 
readily shaded for a short time, and receive regular 
supplies of water if necessary. About the latter end 
of July, or early in August, these pots will be filled 
with roots, when the plants must be repotted into flat 
thirty-two-sized pots, usually termed strawberry pots, 
and at this time plunged in old tan or coal ashes. The 
best manner of plunging them we find to be, forming 
beds wide enough to contain five rows of pots, when 
plunged; upon a hard or gravelly surface, to prevent 
them rooting through, the sides supported by slabs of 
the same width as the depth of the pots, and filling 
them up Avith old tan or ashes ; the plants remain here 
until wanted to take in, and are easily protected from 
severe frosts. It will be found an excellent plan to 
preserve the latest forced plants, which are not much 
exhausted, for forcing the first the next season ; these, 
from their long period of rest, and well-ripened buds, 
are predisposed to break earlier and stronger than the 
others ; some of them, if the autumn is moist, will be 
excited, and produce flowers, which must be imme- 
diately pinched out ; they should have their balls 
carefully reduced, and be repotted in larger pots early 



FORCING. 55 

in August, protecting them from the late autumnal 
rains, and from frost." 

''For succession," Mr. Paxton says, "strong runners 
are taken up in September, and planted about six 
inches apart, in manured and well-prepared beds, four 
feet wide, in a somewhat sheltered situation ; there 
they are allowed to remain until the following July, 
during which period they must be kept very clean 
from weeds, have the flowers and runners regularly 
pinched off, and be watered whenever likely to suffer 
from drought. About the middle of July they are 
potted in small thirty -two- sized pots, two plants in a 
pot, taking the greatest care that neither roots nor 
leaves are damaged in the operation, and an important 
part of it is to press the earth firmly about them ; the 
soil used is two parts loam to one of well-rotted dung. 
Beds which will hold five or six rows of pots are then 
formed in the following manner : Level the surface of 
the ground, and spread upon it a layer of coal ashes ; 
above which must be nailed firmly slabs, or any rough, 
boards, as wide as the depth of the pots, which are 
then to be plunged to the rim in spent bark or ashes. 
All that they will here require is attention to watering 
when necessary, and a slight protection with fern, or 
other light covering, during severe frosty weather. I 
always preserved from 800 to 400 of the latest forced 
plants of the above description, and after having care- 



66 FORCING. 

fully reduced their balls, repot them in large tliirtj- 
two-sized pots in July, treating them afterwards pre- 
cisely as the others. I find these, by having their buds 
formed early, (through the slightest forcing they have 
received), and becoming very strong, are admirably 
adapted for the first crop, and always repay me for the 
extra trouble. Begin forcing with a temperature of 
40°, increasing to 50^ when in bloom, and to 55° when 
ripening." 

" Mr. Brown, gardener to Lord Southampton, at 
Whittlebury Lodge, near Towcester, says, that Mr. 
Paxton's method of preparing strawberry j^lants for 
forcing is a good one where time and trouble are of 
no consequence : but for the last fifteen years he has 
adopted a plan which answers well, and by which 
good strong plants are procured in one month from 
the present year's runners. 

*'The compost used in good strong loam, well mixed 
with rotten dung from the hot-bed linings; twenty- 
four-sized pots are the best for Keene's Seedlings, and 
thirty -twos for Grove End Scarlets. The latter variety 
answers for early forcing better than any other sort, 
when strawberries are wanted by the end of March. 

" Having filled the pots with the compost, they are 
removed at once to the strawberry quarters, and ar- 
ranged on each side of the rows, among the runners. 
The middle of July, when the plants are emittinnr 



SEEDLINGS. 57 

roots, is the proper time to begin the operation of layer- 
ing: having previously prepared a quantity of pegs, the 
runners that are rooted into the ground are carefully 
removed, and their roots inserted in the pots and 
pegged down. Put three plants into the twenty -fouj* 
pots, and one in the thirty-twos ; they immediately 
begin growing, being supported by the mother plant, 
and will only require occasional watering in dry 
weather. 

" When the plants are well rooted, which is in 
about one month, detach them from the old phmts, 
and remove to their winter-quarters. 

" Beds are prepared for them with a bottom of coal 
ashes, and they are plunged in old tan ; each bed sur- 
rounded with a stratum of coal ashes six inches wide, 
and as high as the top of the pots, Avhich prevents 
worms from working amongst them." 



SEEDLINaS. 

Since the introduction of Hovey's Seedling, this 
department of strawberry culture has had new life and 
vigor infused into it, and has resulted in affording 
high gratification to those engaged in it, and proved 
of decided benefit to our countr}^ 

This fruit is so soon and so easily raised from seed, 
that the process invites to a very attractive series of 
8* 



58 CLASSIFICATION. 

experiments. Almost any one can experiment in a 
small way ; and tlie person wlio shall produce a 
strawberry of the size of Hovey's Seedling, or of the 
size and productiveness of McAvoy's Extra Red, com- 
bined with the exquisite flavor of Burr's New Pine, 
Avill be a benefactor. 

Perhaps the easiest way is to select the largest ripe 
berries of the best class of pistillates, raised in close 
proximity to one of the best staminates, and crush 
them in a bed of pure sand, mix them, and let the 
seeds dry and ripen for two weeks or a month ; then 
sow them in light soil, in a partially shaded spot in the 
garden, carefully water, and in winter protect them 
with a covering of straw ; in spring transplant them, 
one plant in a place two feet apart ; carefully remove 
all runners until the plants have borne ; select the best 
for further trial, and throw the rest away. A better 
way, if convenient, is to sow the seeds and sand in a 
cold frame, provided in a northern exposure, and 
transplant as above directed. 



CLASSIFICATION. 

Mr. Elliott says, " Authors have classed the straw- 
berry as Scarlets, the original type being our wild 
strawberry ; Pines originating from the Pine or 
Surinam strawberry ; Woods and Alpines from the 



CLASSIFICATION. 59 

common wood strawbeny of Europe ; Hautbois, or 
High-wood from Bohemia; Chili, from South America. 

"The Scarlets are designated in their character by 
small flowers ; long, thin, light-green, sharply serrate 
leaves ; acid or sub-acid fruit, of bright scarlet color, 
with seeds deeply imbedded." The Large Early Scar- 
let, Methven, Duke of Kent, and others, are of this 
class, and yet the flowers of the first two are rather large. 

" The Pines are designated by large flowers; broad, 
dark-green leaves ; fruit of pineapple flavor, and gene- 
rally soft in texture ; seeds slightly imbedded." 
Hovey's, Black Prince, Burr's New Pine, British 
Queen, &c., are of this class, and yet Hovey's and 
New Pine have quite small flowers : the two others 
are large. 

" The Alpines and Woods have small flowers, per- 
fect in their organs; small, thin, light-green leaves; 
fruit small, sweet, and separating freely from the 
calyx. 

" The Hautbois have large, pale-green leaves, on 
tall foot-stalks, the fruit-stalk tall and erect, the fruit 
of a dull red or purplish color. 

" The Chili, designated by hairy, thick, obtusely 
serrate leaves, fruit pale red and insipid. 

" The Green Strawberries have light-green foliage, 
plaited fruit, solid flesh, so unworthy cultivation as 
rarely t^ be found in this country. 



CO SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 

" We have dropped the arrangement into classes in 
order." 

The above classification is a distinct one, but we do 
not think quite correct, neither can we find or make 
one that is both distinct and correct. 



SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 

This is a point of no small difficulty. One person 
wishes only the finest flavored varieties for his own 
table, of which Burr's New Pine and Swainstone's 
Seedling are the head ; another wishes all the showy 
and fancy varieties, such as the Bicton Pine, Black 
Prince, Alice Maude, &c. ; another, still, cultivates for 
market, and wants large, bright-colored, solid-fleshed, 
productive fruit, like McAvoy's Extra Eed, Moya- 
mensing Pine, and Walker's Seedling. Again, the 
manner of the cultivation of some persons will con- 
form to some varieties, and be opposed to others, per- 
haps superior ; or some soils and climates are naturally 
adapted to some varieties, and unadapted to others, so 
that the custom we have adopted in years past, we 
would recommend to those going into the cultivation 
of the strawberry, viz. : Obtain a plant or two of 
several of the best varieties named, and cultivate them 
experimentally for two or three years, and then select 
the most successful ones and discard the others 



CULTIVATION OF VARIETIES. 61 

Another difficulty arises from -the new developments 
constantly making, wliicli tends to exalt a neglected 
variety in some sections of our country, and depress a 
favorite one in other parts, so that Ave shall, it is pro- 
bable, in future editions take the liberty of amending 
or changing our opinions respecting some of the differ- 
ent varieties named, as time and enlarged experience 
shall demand. 

Another point of delicacy still arises, from the fact 
that many of our friends have produced seedlings of 
which they think and speak in the highest terms ; but 
from what little we have seen of them, and their trial 
beio2f almost exclusivelv in the hands of the orieina- 
tors, ^ye do not feel authorized to speak of them pro 
or con; besides, many seedlings are constantly pro- 
duced by our nurserymen, some good, and many not 
so good, who cultivate them frequently, as they do 
their plants for sale, in crowded beds or even in com- 
pact masses, or in the partial shade of trees or shrub- 
bery, on old soil, so that their mode of trial is often 
of little value in developing or determining the real 
character of the plant. 

Some varieties we do not name will doubtless prove 
superior, and we would not intimate that some of the 
varieties we are not acquainted with may not prove of 
the first class. 

We shall speak mainly and freely our own cxperi* 



62 SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 

ence and observations pf the peculiarities of the differ- 
ent kinds as manifested to us during the last ten or 
twelve years or less, and in a plain, distinct manner, 
give our present views of them, not being confined to 
or having much reference to the usual condensed po- 
mological descriptions or classifications, which we think 
are not so important to the popular mind, and we are 
not writing a work to instruct botanists or learned 
pomologists. 

- The first six varieties named and described would, 
all things considered, be our first choice in a selection 
confined to that number. The next twelve will follow 
very nearly, not entirely, in their regular order as our 
next choice, reference being had to the particular de- 
scriptions for the prominent characteristics of each, as 
fitted for the amateur, the family, or the market-man. 



The new $100 prize seedling of the Cincinnati Horti- 
cultural Society in 1851. It was originated in that 
city by Mr. D. McAvoy, in 1848, on loamy clay 
soil underlaid with limestone, and was called out by 
the offer of a premium of $100 by that Society, at 
the instance of that energetic horticulturist, Nicholas 
Longworth, Esq., for a pistillate strawberry which 
should prov-e^ on a four years' trial, to surpass all other 
known varieties in size, flavor, an 1 productiveness. 



SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 

mcavoy's superior. 



63 





Fig. 1 



Fig. 2 



The committee concluding that this fulfilled the condi- 
tions, reported in its favor, and the report was adopted 
by the Society. In September, 1851, we obtained two 
plants, and in so far as our observation of it has ex- 
tended in our own and several other gardens, in differ- 
ent portions of our country it is superior, in average 
size and productiveness, to any other variety we have 
seen ; and while it is good, and when properly ripened 
of high flavor and delicious, yet we do not think it 
equals, much less surpasses. Burr's Kcav Pine in flavor. 
It is pistillate, hardy, vigorous, dark serrated leaf, long 
foot-stalks, trusses of fruit full and usually well formed, 
but occasionally a berry not entirely filled out ; the 
runners are not so numerous as to be troublesome 



64 SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 

fruit very large, often over fiveinclies in circumference, 
rich dark color until over-ripe; irregular, conical, 
roundish ; large seeds, slightly sunk; flesh crimson and 
white, tender, juicy, with a core of rather open and 
coarse texture. 

Kipens medium season, and rather too tender for a 
market fruit, except for short carriage distance. 

HOVEY's SEEDLING. 

This has been truly called a noble fruit, and is an 
honor to the originator, Mr. C. M. ELovey, of Boston. 
It has undoubtedly taken more prizes in the various 
Horticultural Exhibitions of our country, from Maine 
to Louisiana, than any other variety, and it retains the 
same position at the present time, although it is not 
equal in flavor to Burr's Kew Pine and others, or of 
the average size of McAvoy's Superior and some other 
varieties ; and in almost every quarter, we hear more 
or less complaints of its fickleness in bearing, mingled 
with the strongest approvals of its productiveness. 

Notwithstanding all murmurs, its flavor is good 
when well ripened ; it is too often picked and tasted 
when first colored and unripe ; and some of its berries 
so surpass all other varieties in size — often five and 
six and sometimes over eight inches in circumference — 
as to carry along the judges at our exhibitions ; and the 
size under good cultivation always proves satisfactory. 



SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 



65 




Fig. 3. 

We have, in times past, been embarrassed by its 
failure in bearinsr, but we are inclined to think it was 
in a Q^reat measure owinf^ to our want of knowledge of 
its habits, and consequently erroneous cultivation. It 



QQ SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 

requires a great deal of water, or moist soil, and will 
not bear so rich soil as Boston Pine and many other 
kinds ; and the simple reduction of the soil to the com- 
mon grade has sometimes changed the barren into pro- 
ductive plants. It originated in 1834. The vines are 
vigorous, leaves large in rich soil, rather light green, 
and fruit-stalks are of good length. Fruit is very 
large, roundish-oval, conical ; color, rich scarlet ; seeds 
slightly imbedded ; firm flesh ; well adapted for market, 
and of medium season ; flowers pistillate. 

MONROE SCARLET. 

This variety has not been so extensively known or 
so largely tested as Hovey's Seedling and Burr's New 
Pine. It originated in Eochester by those enterprising 
nurserymen, Messrs. Elwanger k Barry, and was first 
exhibited by them at the June meeting of the ''Horti- 
cultural Society of the Yalley of the Genesee," we 
think in 1850, where we first saw it, and took a plant 
home with us. i 

"We introduce it in this connection, because we think 
it Avill prove remarkably productive. Such has been 
the case in our trials of it ; it has uniformly surpassed 
all others in bearing. We have counted over seventy 
ripe berries of good size, the largest measuring four 
and three-fourths inches in circumference at one time, 
on a single plant less than one year old. A friend 



SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 67 

soutli of Washington City, to whom we sent a few gen- 
uine plants a year or two ago, writes : "Monroe Scarlet 
proved with me last season exceedingly productive, 
and nearly covered the entire surface of the ground 
wdth trusses of fruit. It is a decided acquisition." We 
are aware that the Alpines, and some other kinds, 
will produce many berries in a single hill, but they 
are very small fruit, and will not produce near the 
quantity. It is a hybrid of Hovey's Seedling and the 
Duke of Kent. The plant is very vigorous : pistillate ; 
fruit large, roundish, short neck, and beautiful, of good 
fair flavor, hard flesh, a long bearer, and good for 
market; does well partially shaded. 

burr's new pine. 

This variety originated in Colum- 
bus, Ohio, in 1846, on a clay soil, 
and is remarkable for its agreeable, 
delicious, aromatic flavor, surpassing 
all other varieties; and also for its 
early bearing and uniform pro- 
ductiveness. It is usually of large 
medium size, although we have seen 
on exhibition large dishes of fruit bttke's new pinb. 
measuring nearly four inches in circumference, and 
have measured single specimens from our own garden 
full four and a quarter inches ; and when thus well 




68 SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 

grown, and on exhibition, it will bear off tbe first 
prize from Hovey's Seedling, and all otlier varieties ; 
yet it is, under ordinary cultivation, nearer tlie size of 
three incites in circumfereDce. It is a great favorite 
with families of exquisite taste, either for the hand or 
for the table, and we have proved it to be the earliest 
of sixty varieties in the same garden to ripen its fruit, 
and one of the latest to cease bearing ; and occasional 
plants have produced a small second crop in the au- 
tumn, while standing without watering in the open 
garden. The fruit is large, round, conical and even ; 
color, pale red ; seeds very slightly sunk ; flesh, Avhitish- 
pink, sweet, and too tender for a market fruit ; quite 
productive, and berries perfect; the foliage is large, 
and. the plant is vigorous and hardy. It is indispens- 
able for private gardens. Pistillate. 



The two remaining plants of the first six are stami- 
nate, or hermaphrodite. This variety originated in 
Cincinnati at the same time with McAvoy's Superior. 
Mr. Longworth furnished the seed for both plants to 
two cultivators, McAvoy and Schnecke, the former 
of whom produced the Superior, and the latter this 
variety, which at first was called " Schnecke's Herma- 
phrodite," but afterwards named by the Cincinnati 
Horticultural Society, "Longworth's Prolific," in 



SELECTlOIv OF VARIETIES. 



69 




L01fG"W0ETn 8 PROLIFIC. 



honor of ISTicholas Longworth, 

Esq. It is a great favorite with 

the gentleman whose name it 

bears, who says "it will do 

what no other variety in this 

country or Europe has ever 

done — bear a full crop of good 

fruit standing alone." In a 

note to Mr. Barry in the fall of 

1853, he says, "You will find the Prolific of more 

value than all the seedlings ever raised." Mr. Elliott, 

in his Guide, says, "For market culture we regard it 

of more value than McAvoy's Superior ;" and we have 

heard Dr. Warder bear the same high testimony to its 

excellence. 

It has been almost impossible to get the genuine 
variety. In our attempts, we have had repeated fail- 
ures, until, at last, Mr. D. McAvoy politely took up 
for us two plants, while in bearing, and enclosed them 
in a letter. The plants lived, and we have been ena- 
bled to experiment with them intelligently. We have 
also seen the genuine in a few other gardens, hundreds 
of miles apart, during the last two seasons ; and every- 
where we have seen it, if it had a fair chance, it has 
done well. Many will, doubtless, discard "Long- 
worth's Prolific," who have only tried spurious kinds. 

Our limited experience will not enable us to speak 



70 SELECTION OF V^ARIETIES. 

SO decidedly as some of those we have quoted, yet we 
can say we are mucli pleased with it, and hope it will 
equal the high expectations excited ; so far, it seems 
to excel any hermaphrodite of our acquaintance in 
size and productiveness, and is of good flavor. The 
Pennsylvania Horticultural Society had it on exhibi- 
tion from the garden of Caleb Cope, Esq., in 1853, and 
speak of it as " very large, roundish obovate, brilliant 
crimson ; seed of the same color, sometimes yellowish, 
set in rather deep indentations, with rounded inter- 
vals; flesh red, flavor fine, quality 'very good,' a 
variety of great excellence, perfect in its sexual organ- 
ization, and remarkably productive, a rare circum- 
stance with staminate varieties of large size." The 
plant is very vigorous and hardy ; large broad leaf, 
long foot-stalks, setting the fruit well up in large full 
trusses, productive and sure bearer; ripens at the 
medium season, and only loses its fine color when 
over-ripe. We have seen the fruit from four to five 
inches in circumference. 



The last of the six we name above is also one of the 
new berries, not so extensively proved as yet. The Hon. 
Samuel Walker, ex-President of the Massachusetts 
Horticultural Society, originated and sent it out some 
two or three years ago, when he politely sent us a 



SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 71 

dozen plants for trial, wliich trial has been very satis- 
factory. The society above-named has during the last 
season renewed its endorsement of it, and Mr. Barrj-, 
of Rochester, also approves it there. It is entirely 
distinct from all other kinds, and is a good honest fruit. 
In form it resembles the Large Early Scarlet, or more 
nearly the Crimson Cone, but rather larger than either ; 
in color it is as dark crimson or purple as the Black 
Prince. A vigorous, hardy, good staminate, of excel- 
lent flavor, " best" quality, and productive ; of medium 
season. 



This is another of the new Ohio strawberries, origi- 
nated by Mr. Longworth in his garden, or by his tenant 
and gardener, Mr. D. McAvoy, at the same time with 
the Superior, which variety it appears in every respect 
to equal, except in flavor. The Fruit-Committee in 
Cincinnati report it as " large, beautiful and very pro- 
lific ; quality medium, sub-acid not high-flavored." 
"\Ye think it will prove a valuable market fruit : it is 
very vigorous and hardy ; fruit large and handsome, 
and keeps well. We have seen it exhibited for forty- 
eight hours, after twenty miles land-carriage, when it 
remained the brightest and most showy fruit of forty 
choice varieties. The Pennsylvania Horticultural So- 
ciety m 1853 pronounced it " extraordinarily produc- 



72 



SEIJX'TION OF VAKIETIES. 



tive," and quality " good." It is pistillate, and its only 
faults, as far as \ye are aware, are its acidity audits lack 
of tdgli flavor, wHcli we do not consider indispensable 
for a market fruit. 



JEKNEY'S SEEDLING. 

This originated in New" Bedford, 
about the year 1845 : is of good 
size, high flavor ; and has been 
highly recommended by the Massa- 
chusetts and other Horticultural 
Societies. We have successfully 
cultivated it for four or five years, 
and think its advantages are, its 
good fair size, bright handsome 
color and form, sprightly rich flavor, lateness of season in 
bearing, and sound flesh, fitting it for a first-rate market 
fruit, or for preserving ; its defects are, its not being 
the largest size and only a medium bearer. The plant 
is vigorous, and blossoms pistillate. 




rKSWSYS SEEDLING. 



MOYAMENSING PINE 

It bore off the premium offered b}^ the Pennsylvania 
Horticultural Society in 1848 for the best seedling 
strawberry exhibited that year, and is described as fol- 
lows : " Fruit rather large ; roundish conical ; deep 
crimson ; seeds crimson, set in rather deep depressions, 



SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 73 

with rounded intervals ; flesh red ; flavor very fine ; 
quality 'best;' pistillate leaf, large, with crenate serra- 
tures." We should not place the quality as high as 
'' best," although it is good. In New Jersey and Penn- 
sylvania it has the best reputation as a fine market 
fruit, and our experience confirms it. In fact, we are 
inclined to think that this variety and McAvoy's Extra 
Red may prove among our hesi market kinds, and, as 
such, a great acquisition. That point, however, is not 
yet established. 

LARGE EARLY SCARLET. 

This has long been the standard staminate. It bears 
almost everywhere a tolerable crop with fair treatment. 
It is early, and, as we see from Mr. Peabody's article 
in the Appendix, under his treatment has become a 
perpetual bearer. It is of medium size, handsome oval 
form, good — rather acid — flavor, and bears carriage to 
market tolerably well. 

Its good qualities are its uniform, although not large 
productiveness, early season and good flavor ; its de- 
fects, its want of size and of large productiveness, and 
its tendency to throw out an overgrowth of runners. 
It is valuable as an impregnator. 

CRIMSON CONE. 

A very bright, handsome, brisk, acid fruit, of me- 
dium size, uniformly conical, rich dark crimson, and 



74 SELECTION OF VAEIETIES. 

quite productive. Its seeds lie deeply imbedded, giving 
tlie surface a beautiful rasp-like appearance. Its de- 
fects are, its second-rate size and acid flavor. It was 
always a favorite of Mr. Downing's, who preferred its 
acid flavor for tlie table, bringing it to its proper tone 
by a liberal addition of sugar. 

It has supplied the New York market with more 
fruit the past season, we think, than all other varieties 
combined. 

The plant is very vigorous — blossoms pistillate. 

IOWA. 

The Iowa, or Washington as it is familiarly called in 
Cincinnati, is a wonderfully productive variety, good 
size, and well adapted for the market. Its lack of high 
flavor, and pale color, will prevent its becoming a favor- 
ite among amateurs. 

EIVAL HUDSON. 

A very productive market fruit, of only medium 
size, and rather acid flavor : popular near Eochester. 
A great bearer. A writer in the Cultivator reports 133 
ripe berries from a single root — pistillate. 

GENESEE SEEDLING. 

A large and very handsome fruit. It originated wdth 
Messrs. Elwanger k Barry. The plant is vigorous, 
with long stout foot-stalks, productive for a staminate, 



SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 75 

and of good medium flavor. It seems to be growing 
in favor for private gardens. 

WILLEY. 

This is a great bearer of ronnd, medium-sized fruit 
of pleasant, sprightly, although not high flavor. This 
and Monroe Scarlet are the only strawberries I have 
ever seen that bear apparently in clusters. It is not 
unusual for the Willey to produce sixty and seventy 
berries on a plant, and should never be cultivated in 
masses. It is solid enough for market, and its main 
defect is its size and second-rate flavor. 

PRINCESS ALICE MAUDE. 

A handsome, long, oval, English fruit, of large size, 
fair productiveness, and medium flavor. It is unique 
in appearance, very early, and in the vicinity of 
Washington City it has become very popular, Profes- 
sor Page having succeeded in inducing it to adopt the 
ever-bearing habit. Its main defects are moderate pro- 
ductiveness and want of high flavor. Staminate, and 
good for market. 

BOSTON PINE. 

A good staminate seedling of Mr. Hovey, of Boston, 
and for our own cultivation we should give it a very 
early place in our list ; but with the mass of cultiva- 
tors it is not so popular. It wants the best clean culti- 



76 SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 

vation, with every plant two feet apart from all others, 
and will bear richer soil than almost any other variety ; 
with such treatment it will produce a good crop of 
uniformly large, round, handsome fruit of high flavor. 

BLACK PRINCE. 
A. large, handsome, very dark crimson or blackisL.- 
purple fruit, of English parentage and pistillate flowers. 
The plants are vigorous and hardy, quite productive, 
usually too watery and insipid in flavor, but some- 
times we have found it to be of the richest flavor. A 
few plants are w^orthy of a place in most private 
gardens. 

LIZZIE RANDOLPH. 

A very large, showy fruit, quite productive, but of 
such inferior flavor as to discourage its dissemination. 
It is pistillate, and originated in Philadelphia. 

SWAINSTONE SEEDLING. 

An English staminate of the highest flavor and 
great beauty, but unfortunately so fickle in its bearing 
habits as to drive it from all but the amateurs' and a 
few of the best nurserymen's gardens. 

MYATT's BRITISH QUEEN 

A splendid English variety of the largest size and 
richest flavor, but unfortunately, in this country, so 



SELECTION" OF VARIETIES. 77 

few of the blossoms ordinarily produce fruit, that it is 
in most places desjDaired of. It needs the best cultiva- 
tion, and the slants should be allowed plenty of room 
for air. 

LARGE WHITE BICTON PINE. 

A new English staminate variety, of large hand- 
some fruit, long oval shape, sometimes flattened, of 
the highest flavor, white color, with a bright blush 
cheek on one side. It is quite a novelty, and proves to 
be more productive than was expected. It will find a 
place in most amateurs' gardens in limited quantities. 



Is said to be superior to the above, but we have not 
yet tried it. In Boston it is spoken well of A friend 
assures us it is superior to the Bicton Pine. 

PROLIFIC HAUTBOY. 

Prolific certainly of runners, so as greatly to injure 
its value, if it had no other defect ; is a very vigorous 
plant, producing long, oval, purplish, dingy berries of 
a rich but very peculiar flavor, agreeable to some, but 
the reverse to others. It is staminate, but hardly 
desirable. 

We might continue this list, and enumerate full 
one hundred other varieties which we have had an 
opportunity of personally testing ; but we cannot 



78 SELECTION OF VARIETIES. 

name any variety possessing any superior quality, not 
possessed in an equal or larger degree by some of ilie 
best of those we have named ; in fact, some of the 
varieties we have noticed are not equal to other varie- 
ties we might name, of our own seedlings and others ; 
and we have only referred to them because they are 
popular in many jDarts of the country, and supposed 
there to be a first-class fruit. 

Many of our horticultural friends and nurserymen 
may be disappointed that we have not referred more 
extensively to their favorites ; in answer we say, we 
do not suppose them superior to some of those de- 
scribed. If they are, they will soon be extensively 
proved and noticed. Others, we do not personally 
know anything about, which are not merely recom- 
mended by individual originators, but Horticultural 
Societies of the highest authority; for instance, the 
new seedling " Pennsylvania," of Philadelphia, and 
Scott's Seedling, &c., of Boston, Hooker's seedling of 
Rochester, and Lucy Fitch in the West, A seedling 
that will surpass McAvoy's Superior in average size, 
productiveness, and good flavor, or Hovey's Seedling 
in size and beauty, or Burr's New Pine in flavor, pro- 
ductiveness, and early fruit, and Longworth's Prolific 
in size, beauty, productiveness and flavor as an herma- 
phrodite, has got to be an extraordinary fine berry, 
but there is hope that it may be obtained. 



ANALYSIS. 79 

The following analysis of the strawberry plant 
(vines) was made by Mr. Bilius, Kirtland, Ohio. 

In 116 grains of the ashes of the Garden Straw- 
berry he found : 

Potash 33.154 

Lime 26.519 

Carbonic Acid 23.008 

Magnesia 8.908 

Phosphoric Acid 6.970 

Silica 6.117 

Charcoal and Sand 3.103 

Soda 2.794 

Perphospbate of Iron 1.515 

Sulphuric Acid 1.469 

Chlorine 718 

Organic Matter and Loss 1.739 

116.000 

In the Annual report of the Progress of Chemistry 
and allied Sciences for 1847 and 1848, we find the 
following analysis of the Strawberry by Thomas 

KiCHARDSON : 

THE PLANT. 

Potash 38.65 

Lime 12.20 

Silica 2.58 

Perphospbate of Iron , 8.65 

Magnesia 5.85 

Phosphoric Acid. , 15.58 

Chlorine 1.23 



80 ANALYSIS. 

Soda 9.27 

Organic Matter, Loss, &c 5.99 

39 per cent, of Ash. 100.00 

THE FRUIT. 

Potash 2L07 

Lime 14.20 

Soda 27.01 

Silica 1105 

Perphosphate Iron 11.15 

Phosphoric Acid t59 

Sulphuric Acid S 15 

Chlorine 1.78 

Magnesia Tiwce 

41 per cent, of Ash. 10v,.0U 

The great variation in these analyses is probaMy mainly owing 
to the greater age of the vines in one case than the other ; perh5»-ps 
something is also due to soil and climate. — Ed. 



THE RASPBERRY 



When well-grown, and of the best varieties, this is 
one of our most Avholesome and excellent fruits. It 
deserves a far more general and better cultivation than 
is usually given to it ; and its free use, succeeding the 
strawberry, as it does, would doubtless conduce to the 
general health as well as luxury of the community. 

If grown without care, it is often small, hard, and 
with little good flavor ; but when highly cultivated, it 
is large, melting, and delicious. It will repay the best 
care, and to very few fruits is this so indispensable as 
to the raspberry. 

A rather moist, cool location, on the north slope of 
a side-hill, or shade of a fence, is to be chosen ; and 
the soil should be deep and rich. A deep loam is 
preferable, but other soils by the addition of bog earth 
or muck can be made to answer the purpose ; it should 
be well broken up, trenched and pulverized to the depth 
of two feet, then enriched with well-rotted manure, 
vegetable, if convenient. 

4* (81) 



82 THE RASPBERRy. 

The plants should be shortened ten or twelve inches 
at the top, and set out very early in the spring, at a 
distance of three to four feet apart, not too deep, in pure 
earth, with a good proportion of the roots lying near 
the surface. Keep them clean, and well staked, Avith 
not more than three or four canes in a hill. On gather- 
ing of the fruit, cut out all the old decayed canes and 
leave not more than six, eight, or ten of the strongest 
ones in a hill to ripen for another season of bearing, 
one-half of which should be transplanted in the fol- 
lowing spring. 

On the first of September pinch back the most 
vigorous shoots, so as to check the flow of sap and 
ripen the wood. 



^VINTER PBOTECTION. 

The question of winter protection is a difficult and 
important one. The ordinary custom is to leave them 
exposed in the garden to the severity of winter, and, 
as a consequence, the Fastolf, Franconia, and True 
Antwerps, are rendered almost worthless. Even in 
Kentucky, those choice varieties require winter protec- 
tion. The easiest way is to bend the canes down and 
cover them slightly with earth. Some tie them up 
in a withe of straw, or evergreen boughs, but these 
are not always sufficient. 



WINTER PROTECTION. 83 

We have sometimes taken up the plants m the fall, 
and buried them in sand, and on the earliest opening 
of spring set them out with care, and in this way have 
raised extraordinary crops ; but we have not proved 
this last process so fully as to incur the responsibility of 
recommending it. It would require to be very care- 
fully done, so as to preserve all the fibrous roots, to- 
gether with the advantage of favorable soil, for it to 
succeed so well. 

The raspberry is used in a variety of ways, viz. : for 
the hand, the table, pies, tarts, jelly, jam, ices, syrups, 
brandy, wine, and vinegar. 

The profits of production are very large ; often, in 
the vicinity of Kew York, selling for from $500 to 
$600 per acre. From Milton, Ulster County, it is said 
$10,000 worth is sent every year to New York market. 
The usual price is about one shilling per pint. 

They will continue in bearing some five or six years, 
but will not be in perfection, ordinarily, until the third 
year after planting. 

We will name but a few established varieties. Dr. 
Brinckle, of Philadelphia, and some others, have gained 
much credit with their fine seedlings, but how exten- 
sively they have been proved, or if smj of them sur- 
pass the Fastolf, Franconia^ Antwerp^ &c., we are unable 
to say. The " Colonel Wilder''^ and some other seed- 
lings are said to be perfectly hardy ; and if that is the 



84 



THE RASPBERRY 



case, and tliey prove equal in otlier respects, they will 
certainly be a decided acquisition. 



FASTOLF. 



This fine variety originated at Fastolf Castle^ near 
Yarmouth, England, where it attained a high reputa- 




THE FASTOLF. 



tion, which it has nobly sustained in this country. 

It is not quite so hard for a market fruit as the Ant- 
werp, but it is rather soft, and of rich high flavor, and 



VARIETIES. 



85 



the fruit is very large, of a bright purplish red, and is 
a large bearer. It requires winter protection. 

FRANCONI. 

This line varietj^ was said to be originally from 
France, but a few knowing ones insist that its advent 
was nearer home. However that may be, it is a valu- 
able kind, the most hardy of the large varieties which 
we refer to ; produces most abundant crops of fine fruit, 
which bears carriage to market well. It is some ten 
days later tlfan the Antwerps, and requires only slight 
protection. The fruit resembles the Fastolf, but rather 
more acid flavor; canes strong and branching, and 
leaves rather narrow. 



RED ANTWERP, 

This variety has long 
been the standard sort, 
both in this country and 
Europe, and is a very 
fine fruit. So many 
spurious sorts are now 
sold under this name, 
that it is difficult to ob- 
tain the genuine, in 
many places. The Com- 
mon Bed Antwerp is 




RED ANTWERP. 



86 



THE KASPBERRY. 



smaller and round ; while tlie true is large, regularly 
long conical, dull red, with a rich sweet flavor. 

The canes are of good strength when well cultivated, 
and the fruit ripens early in July. 

It also requires winter protection. 

YELLOW ANTWERP. 

Much resembles the Red Antwerp except in color, 
and is a very handsome and excellent fruit. Whether 
Dr. Brinckle's new seedlings. Colonel Wilder, and 
Orange, will supersede it or not, as Mr^ Elliott sug 
gests, we are unable to say. 

knevett's giant 
We have sometimes thought this variety a better 
bearer than the Red Antiverp^ but we do not know as 




KNEVETT'S OIANT. 



it has any superiority other than being more hardy. 



VARIETIES. 87 

This, however, bears a much larger crop, in conse- 
quence of winter protection. 

LARGE-FRUITED MONTHLY. 

This is a new variety, that we have had in bearing 
in our garden some years, and have often gathered a 
moderate amount of fruit from it in September and 
October, us well as in the early summer. AVith good 
cultivation and thorough pruning, it produces full 
crops of fruit of the character, but not equal to, the 
Antwerps. 

OHIO EVER-BEARINa. 

A variety of the American Black, which has for 
years borne us several crops during the season, of 
large, good fruit, ripening its last crop amidst the 
snows and frosts of November. Some of our New 
Jersey markets are realizing on small plots at the rate 
of from six to eight hundred dollars per acre. 



THE BLACKBERRY. 



The production of this fruit has heretofore been 
mostly confined to the woods and new lands of our 
country. In our former residence, Palmyra, Western 
New York, from time immemorial, almost, the market- 
women have made their appearance every two or three 
days during the season, with wagon-loads of from 
fifteen to thirty bushels of blackberries, which they 
sold at the prices of three, four, to five cents per quart. 
The fruit was often small, hard, and unripe, similar to 
much that is sold in the New York markets. Some 
of this fruit is larger and finer than others, and for 
many years persons have been trying to cultivate and 
improve upon the best specimens of field blackberries. 
Our agricultural friends in Massachusetts — particularly 
the late Captain Lovett, of Beverly — have been among 
the most enterprising and successful in this direction. 
The ^^ Improved High Bush BlacJcberry^^ of Captain 
Lovett has often been noticed with marked favor by 
the Massachusetts Horticultural Society^ as being a long, 
egg-shaped, shining, black, juicy, and rich fruit, with 
specimens often an inch and a half long. We have 

(88) 



THE BLACKBERRY. 



89 



seen handsome and excellent fruit of tliis variety, not 
only in New England, but also in Western Kew York, 
but there is a complaint in some quarters that it has a 
tendency, like most other kinds, to deteriorate. Many 
promising varieties from the woods or seedlings, on 
being cultivated, have scarcely produced a single per- 
fect berry. We personally know of but one decided 
exception. 

THE LAWTON BLACKBERRY, 

Or New Roclielle, which is said to be a chance seed- 
ling first picked up by the wayside, and has been most 
successfully cultivated for many years in the pleasant 
vHlage of New Rochelle, near New York, where it 
was discovered to have extraordinary vigor, growth, 
size and uniform productiveness. 

Our attention was first called to it by some baskets 
of the fruit presented to the Farmers' Club of the 
American Institute in the city of New York at theii' 
regular meetings in August, 1852 and 1853, by Wil- 
lii^ii Lawton, Esq., an amateur cultivator, of Ne^7 
Rochelle, who stated that it was familiarly known i i 
the vicinity as the "New Rochelle Blackberry." 

The fruit was found to be of great size, uniform] / 
so, sixty to seventy of the berries filling a quart me i- 
sxire— very few seeds, light melting pulp, and of a 
delicious flavor. 



90 



THE BLACKBERRY. 



^/^/vy/^ 




THE LAWTON BLACKBERRY. 



It was well known tliat not onl}^ in ISTew Eochelle, 
but also in Morrisania, and the open lands of Long 
Island were filled with seedlings of greater or less 
excellence, but this variety so far surpassed all others 
known to the Club as to excite their admiration. On 
account of the liability of the numerous other wild 



THE BLACKBERKl^. 91 

varieties in New Koclielle becoming confounded with 
this, the Club resolved to name it, distinctively, "The 
Lawton Blackberry," in honor of the gentleman intro- 
ducing it to them. 

We have had frequent opportunities of giving this 
variety a personal examination in various places and 
under different treatment, and particularly in the 
grounds of Mr. Lawton, where there are some three 
acres in bearing. 

THE CHARACTERISTICS 

Of it are a hardy vigorous growth, the canes are often 
m inch in diameter, and eight to twelve feet long, 
covered with laterals well loaded with fruit; so that a 
single stalk will produce from four to six and even 
eight quarts, and the canes are uniformly full of large 
perfect fruit in different exposures and locations. 

The Fruit is of regular, large size, oval shape, hand- 
some, and superior flavor, so that our best pomologists, 
after a trial of several years, do not hesitate to pro- 
nounce it » the greatest acquisition." It is quite certam 
it has not deteriorated in the last eight or ten years, 
and it proves to be entirely hardy 

CULTIVATION. 

The blackberry rejoices in a moist, loamy soil, but 
will grow well in higher exposures, and is rather bene- 
fited by a little shade and a cool northern aspect 



9'2 THE BLACKBERRY. 

When thus favored, it will prolong its period of bear- 
ing from four to six weeks. . Usual good garden soil is 
favorable for tlie blackberry, and it will bear being 
made pretty rich with manures after the first year and 
especially with muck or woods' -mould. It should be 
transplanted as early in the spring as possible, or in 
the fall, and especial care should be taken of its fibrous 
roots and its whole general culture the first year, and 
then it will grow, produce fruit, and propagate itself 
rapidly. 

The canes which come up one season will bear 
fruit the next and then die in the autumn, and the 
dead branches must be carefully removed early every 
spring, in order to make room for the new ones to 
take their place, and this beautiful process of reproduc- 
tion thus goes on ; so that a single plant set out in a 
good free soil will send up two, three, or four plants, 
and those will increase to a score or more the follow- 
ing season if carefully pruned and kept clean. 

The ends of the canes should be shortened about 
one quarter early in the spring, when the old decayed 
ones are removed, and if the laterals are too long clip 
them also. They usually require no support. 

TRANSPLANTING. 

Particular care, we think, is needed in transplanting 
the blackberry. It should not be attempted late in the 
spring, otherwise a great share of the plants will harc^j 



THE BLACKBERRY. 93 

survive the process. Mulching and watering are often 
useful and even necessary when transplanting. 

It is well to set the plants four or iive feet apart in 
rows that are eight to ten feet distant, and they will 
soon cover the ground, and thus 600 plants will set an 
acre. Some large growers in the vicinity of New 
York have readily contracted their entire crop for the 
season at 25 cents to 37^ cents per quart. "We have 
given a large space to this variety, not only because it is 
new, but because we believe it to be worthy of exten- 
sive cultivation by the public, both as amateurs and for 
the market. 



Is a great bearer, not white, but with a blush cheek, 
and not of good quality or size when compared with 
the Lawton ; sometimes it fails, but we are certified tc 
instances of single canes producing eight, ten, and even 
eleven quarts of fruit, such as it is. 

We have seen the wild white blackberry growing 
in the woods, on the southern shore of Lake Ontario, 
in the town of Ontario, Wayne County, but on culti- 
vating them they have failed to produce a single per- 
fect berry. This has been the case also with the best 
specimens of black ones grown in the vicinity. 



THE CRANBERRY. 



The culture of the American Cranberry has become 
an object of much interest and importance. It grows 
freely and produces its fruit readily in any damp situa- 
tion. Pare off the surface of a swamp or bog-meadow, 
then cover the surface wdth a few inches of sand, set 
out the plants 12 or 18 inches apart, keep them clean, 
and in tw^o or three years they will cover the surface 
of the ground, and produce, say 50 bushels the first 
year, 100 the second, and after that a regular crop of 
150 to 400 bushels per acre. 

They can be raised upon poor uplands by first cover- 
ing the surface with sand ; set them out and keep the 
ground free from weeds. Planting can be done from 
March until middle of May, or from September until the 
ground freezes. The black cranberry has formerly been 
considered the best variety, bat some new seedlings exhi- 
bited the past season promise decidedly to surpass it. 

A new work just issued from the prolific agricultu- 
ral publication house of C. M. Saxton & Co., New York, 
by the Eev. B. Eastwood '' On the Cranberry," ren- 
ders a more extended notice unnecessary in this place. 

(94) 



THE CURRANT. 



This is one of the most valuable of all our small 
fruits. It can be used to such advantage in a variety 
of ways, whether in a green or ripe state, and it is so 
easily grown, that it is indispensable in every small 
garden. 

It is a native of Great Britain, and therefore per- 
fectly hardy. In a green state it is used in pies, tarts, 
&c., stewed like gooseberries. When ripe, it is much 
used as a table fruit, with plenty of sugar ; but it is 
almost universally used in a jelly that is both delicious 
and wholesome. It also makes an excellent wine, at a 
cost of not more than t\70 or three shillings a gallon. 
The Black Currant is chiefly used in a jam or jelly. 
Currants ripen in midsummer, and if protected from 
the sun will remain on the bushes until October. 

This fruit is very easily cultivated, and it will grow 
and bear in almost any fair soil ; fresh maiden earth is 
best for treatment. The usual way is to allow the 
suckers to spring up around the original plant, until 
it has become a matted clump of bushes, but this is a 
bad practice every way. The suckers uniformly pro- 

(95). 



96 THE CURRANT. 

duce poor and small fruit, and should never bo per- 
mitted to grow. 

The best Avaj of propagating the currant is to cut 
off in the early spring, before the buds swell, the 
growth of the last year, close to the old wood ; make 
the cuttings one foot long ; remove all the eyes except 
some three or four at the top of the cutting, to prevent 
suckers ; then place it compactly in good sandy soil to 
half its depth, or six inches, and by good care in one 
year it will be sufficiently established for transplant- 
ing. In new, rare varieties, it can be more rapidly 
increased by layering, where the first branches have 
been allowed to grow near the surface of the earth. It 
should always be cultivated in the form of small bush 
trees, and by a skilful hand can be easily made to 
assume a handsome pyramidal or espalier form. All 
superfluous wood should be carefully pruned out every 
winter, and the plant invigorated with rich manure in 
the spring. The currant and gooseberry can hardly be 
over-fed. Each bush should be renewed every six or 
eight years, as young vigorous plants of most fruits 
produce the largest and best specimens. It will bear 
very well partially shaded by trees or shrubbery, yet 
the fruit will be the richest and best flavored with plenty 
of air and sun, and therefore a southern aspect is 
desirable. 



VARIETIES. 97 

VARIETIES. 

Black Naples and Bang-up are tlie largest and 
best Black Currants, of excellent flavor, and bear large 
clusters of fruit, often five-eighths of an inch in diame- 
ter. They are also productive. The Black English 
is quite inferior. 

The White and Eed Dutch are our most popular 
varieties. They are large, good flavor and productive. 
The white is the mildest. They are decidedly better 
than the common currant. 

The White and Eed Grape do not vary but a little 
from the above. 

Cherry Currant. — The largest of all red currants ; 
quite acid ; short clusters ; moderate bearer ; color, 
dark-red ; strong grower ; thick, dark-green foliage ; 
new, from Italy. Sometimes seven-eighths of an inch 
in diameter. 

May's Yictoria, or Houghton Castle ; large and 
very long bunches; late, and rather acid; moderate 
bearer; plant vigorous. 

Knight's Sweet Eed, chiefly valuable for its mild 
pleasant flavor, similar in quality to the White Dutch, 
and productive. 
5 



98 THE CUKE ANT. 

Laegest White Pkovence, the largest White 
Currant, often Ml five-eighths of an inch in diame- 
ter; short bunches, and quite acid; a good bearer; 
quite attractive ; new, from France. We are pleased 
with it in oir own garden. 



THE GOOSEBERRY. 



Ko fruit is easier of propagation than the goose- 
berry, and it slioulcl! find its place in every garden. 

It should be protected from suckers, like the currant, 
and like that it loves a fresh, deep, rich, moist soil of 
a soft, loamy texture ; it can scarcely be too much en- 
riched Avith cooling manures. The north side of an 
open fence or hedge will do well for it, but it should 
not be placed under the shade of trees ; open ground 
is far better. It should be so carefully and thoroughly 
pruned as to admit the air and light freely, and it is 
well to train it up into little upright bushes or small 
trees. Summer as w^ell as winter pruning is often 
necessary to admit sun and air. 

The English varieties are much subject to mildew in 
this country. Mr. William Newcomb, of Pittstown, 
N. Y., a very successful horticulturist, wrote me that 
he always in the spring placed three inches of hog- 
manure under every bush, and raised the best English 
varieties in that way in the greatest abundance and 



100 THE GOOvSEBERHY. 

perfection, witliout its being affected in tlie least by 
tlie mildew. 

Mr. D. Haines, near Elizabetlitown, N. J., informs 
me that be cultivates A¥ood\Yard's Wbitesmitb most 
successfully by removing a few inches of the surface- 
earth, every spring, under every bush, and filling the 
.space with salt hay, which he covers with the earth ; 
thus affording protection from drought, and perfectly 
exempting the fruit from mildew. Others find a remedy 
in sprinkling aslies on the bushes when the dew is on. 
The ashes also benefit the plant. Any good mulch of 
tan bark, saw-dust, &c., of three inches deep, would 
answer nearly the same purpose as salt hay. Sprink- 
ling the bushes in the spring freely with soap-suds also 
lias a good eftect on their growth, and often protects 
them from mildew. The bushes should be transplanted 
in April or late in October or November, and pruned 
back and set at a distance of about three feet, like the 
currant. If any large fruit is wanted, the fruit must 
be thinned out. The Encyclopoedia of Gardening says 
of the famous growers in Lancashire, England, who 
produce the largest fruit in the world : "To effect this 
increased size, every stimulant is a2:>plied that their 
ingenuity can suggest ; they not only annually manure 
the soil richly, but also surround the plants witli 
trenches of manure for the extremities of the roots to 
strike into, and form around the stem of each plant a 



THE GOOSEBEKKY. 101 

basin, to be mulclied, or manured, or watered, as may 
be necessary. 

" They also practice wliat they term suddmg their 
prize fruit. By preparing a very rich, cool soil, and by 
watering, and by the use of liquid manure, shading and 
thinning, the large fruit of the prize cultivator is pro- 
duced. Not content with watering at root and over the 
top, the Lancashire connoisseur, when he is growing for 
exhibition, places a small saucer of water under each 
gooseberry, only three or four of which he leaves on a 
tree ; this he technically calls suckling." 

The gooseberry tree needs to be kept constantly in 
a vigorous condition, and then it will produce an 
abundance of good fruit. 

It should be propagated from cuttings of the wood 
of the present year, prepared and set out early in Sep- 
tembe'r, and transj)lanted in October of next year, or 
very earhj in the following spring ; and should be 
pruned in June and November, and renewed every 
five or six years. The short stout growth from the 
fruit stem makes better bushes than longer cuttings 
from the thrifty suckers. 

The frait is well adapted for pies and tarts when in 
a green state, and the best varieties when well grown 
and ripe are very excellent and acceptable for the 
table or hand Says Mr Downing : "As a luxury for 
the poor, Mr. Loudon considers this the most valuable 



102 THE GOOSEBERRY. 

of all fruits, since it can be grown in less space, in 
more unfavorable circumstances, and brought sooner 
into bearing than any other." 

Books and catalogues are filled with the longest lists 
of names of different kinds of the gooseberry, but 
aft-ex experimenting with many of them for years, and 
observing them under various circumstances, we are 
prepared to narrovf our list down to a very few kinds, 
— as we have studied to do with the other fruits — 
which we think combine the size, flavor, and produc- 
tiveness of «//, at least for ordinary cultivation. 



CROMPTOX S SHEBA QUEEX. 

This is the largest and best flavored of all the 
English varieties we have seen. Our attention was at- 
tracted to it some years since by the favorable reports 
and first premium of the Albany Horticultural Society, 
through the accurate chairman of its Fruit Committee, 
Dr. Herman L. Wendell, who says of it, " This is de- 
cidedly the richest and most delicious, as well as one 
of the most beautiful berries we have. It is larger in 
size than any of the others ; obovate form ; ^^'hite, clear 
color ; very pleasant, rich, and luscious in its flavor, 
and erect in its growth. It requires a deep, rich, and 



VARIETIES. 103 

well-drained, as well as cool soil." In other locaticus it 
sustains ttie same higli cliaracter there given of it, and 
we have found it decidedly the Lest in our own garden. 

woodward's whitesmith. 

This is another large, beautiful, and excellent Eng- 
lish variety — very productive, and is usually over one 
inch in length. The color is white, and tree of erect 
habit. 

Eoaring Lion and Crown Bob Warrington are also 
large, good varieties of red color. 

Golden Drop and Yellow Lion are fine yellow kinds. 

Green Laurel, Conquering Hero, and ^reen AYillow, 
green varieties. 

"VYe might name a great number of varieties nearly 
as good, but do not know that any benefit could be 
derived from it. 

Houghton's seedling. 

An American seedling of very vigorous habit, great 
bearer, and said never to mildew. It is of pale red 
color, rather under medium size ; of good, rich flavor, 
and well worthy of cultivation. 

AYe have also cultivated for some years an American 
seedling variety resembling Houghton's Seedling in 
every respect, except being of larger size, and gTeenish- 
white color. It is very valuable. 



THE GUAPE. 



It lias often been asserted — we know not witli hov/ 
mucli of tratli — that in tlie vine districts of France, 
lung diseases are unknown ; but this we do now, that 
the free use of well-grown and well-ripened grapes 
would be decidedly beneficial to the general health. 
The cultivation of this excellent fruit embraces a very 
wide range. In the first place, there is the very nice 
process of raising hot-house grapes : next, the cold 
vinery, which is simple and easy to be practised ; next, 
vineyard cultivation : but it will not be expected of us, 
in this brief notice, 1o more than refer to the common 
mode of out-door garden culture. The grape is easily 
and cheaply raised, but good cultivation is altogether 
the best economy. It is easily propagated from cut- 
tings. We have found it the best way to prune off 
our cuttings early in February, two feet in length, 
bury them in a bundle four or six inches deep in the 
gTound immediately, and for this purpose we choose 
the warmest weather in the month. 

(104) 



THE GRAPE. 105 

Let tliem be in tlie ground till the warm weather in 
the fore part of May : we then take them up and plant 
them in a sloping position, in a somewhat shaded 
situation, leaving the upper bud a few inches above 
ground. In this way almost every cutting will surely 
grow, and after a year or two, should be carefully 
transplanted into the vine border. 

The preparation of this vine border is an important 
process in grape culture in private gardens. It should 
be made from four to six feet wide, and two to three 
feet deep, and be composed of a liberal mixture of 
limestone, or old plaster or mortar, bones, leather- 
parings, hair, ashes, and strong, well-rotted manure, 
well mixed with the soil. 

A calcareous soil or gravelly loam is best for the 
grape, and should be well drained and warm. " The 
essence," says Downing, "of all that can be said in 
grape culture respecting soil, is that it be dry^ light, 
deep, richy It is somewhat difficult in wet clay lands 
to raise good grapes, unless the vine border is carefully 
prepared. Soap-suds and wash from the house is favor- 
able for the grape, and we have known some plants 
succeed well that were placed immediately under the 
spout of the sink. For vineyard culture, the nearer 
the process approximates to the one described above 
by trenching and enriching, the better. 

Every plant should be thoroughly pruned down to 
5* 



106 THE GRAPE. 

two or three leading shoots; and after "these cover tlie 
trellis or stakes as extensively as you wish, then the 
rule in pruning is, every year from December to first 
of February, fearlessly to cut back all of the last year's 
growth, so far as to leave only two eyes. It is also 
desirable, after the grapes are beginning to fill in June, 
to pinch back the terminal bud of every branch, and 
thus check its growth, and throw back its sap, to ripen 
the fruit and mature the wood. By pinching back, we 
mean, to pinch ofi" with the thumb-nail and fore-finger 
the end of every bearing branch, and we then cut out 
all the superfluous little shoots and suckers. 

The vine is composed the greater part of potash, 
lime, and carbonic acid, and therefore a frequent appli- 
cation of ashes, lime, and soap-suds is beneficial. It 
has been asserted that tartaric acid is a valuable spe- 
cific for the fruit, but of this we have no personal 
knowdedge. 

The grape should always be grown in the warmest 
and most sheltered situation, so that the fruit may 
ripen well before frost. The south side of a house, or 
southern slope of a side-hill, should be chosen. 

In some places the mildew is troublesome to the 
grape, but sulphur sprinkled liberally on its first ap- 
pearance will usually check it at once. There is also 
a kind of snail slug which often destroys the leaves in 
a few weeks. These can easily be destroyed by shower- 



VARIETIES. 107 

ing the vines two or three times with strong soap-suds 
from the wash. 

Our nurserymen have many kinds of the grape on 
their hsts for open-air cultivation, but we are not quite 
sure that the Isabella and Catawba do not comprise sub- 
stantially the good qualities of all The only complaint 
against them seems to be, they will not in all situations 
and all seasons at the North ripen before the frost. 

The Isabella is the well-known and most popular 
grape North. It is a most vigorous grower, hardy, 
an immense bearer, large size, black oval, and when 
ripe, juicy, sweet, musky, and rich. Eipens well as 
far north as forty-three degrees of latitude. 

The Catawba does not always ripen well so far 
north as forty- three degrees. Otherwise it would rival 
the Isabella. It has large berries, copper-colored, with 
a fresh bloom, flesh a little pulpy ; juicy, sweet, aro- 
matic, musky, and rich, productive and hardy. It 
requires a warm soil and sheltered location north of 
New York to perfect its fruit, and then it is truly deli- 
cious. 

The Clinton is two weeks earlier than the Isabella, 
but it is not near so large or good. 



108 THE GRAPE. 

We are in great want of a new seedling grape equal 
or superior to the Isabella and Catawba, and decidedly 
two or tbree weeks earlier. We often have such an- 
nounced, but they do not always prove satisfactory. 

The Concord is a large, handsome grape, newly 
originated by Mr. Bull, of Concord. It resembles the 
Isabella in appearance, is about two weeks earlier, 
and on that account an acquisition ; is of good flavor, 
although not equal, we think, to that grape in flavor. 
It is a little shade foxy. 

The Diana is a pleasant new grape, resembling the 
Catawba in color and flavor, of smaller size and some 
two or three weeks earlier. 

The Black Madeira is a small pleasant wine 
grape. Farther south, the Bland, Ohio, Herhemoni's, 
Norton's, WJiite Scuppemong, Warren, &c., are popular. 



■|ipenH;e, 



APPENDIX 



APPENDIX A. 



THE STRAWBERRY AND ITS CULTURE. 

BY CHARLES A. PEABODY, OF COLUMBUS, GEO. 

That eminent liorticulturists are liable to be mistaken 
in tbeir views of culture, as well as of the origin and 
history of plants, as any other class of men, we have 
ample proof in the conflicting opinions of the nature 
and culture of the strawberry. Downing says: "The 
strawberry is the most delicious and most wholesome 
of all berries, and the most universally cultivated in 
all gardens of a northern climate." Again he says : 
"The strawberry properly belongs to cold climates, 
and though well known, is of comparatively litle value 
in the south of Europe." AYith this high authority, 
the horticulturists of the South never dreamed of cul- 
tivating the strawberry to any extent, although the 
woods and fields were covered with the wild fruit. It 

was a knowledge of the fact that the wild strawberry 

(111) 



112 A.PPENDIX. 

gre^Y all aroTind me, that induced me to try strawberry 
culture at tlie Soutli. I do not believe there is a plant 
in nature that so easily adapts itself to soil, situation, 
and climate, as the strawberry. In many of its homes, 
however, it produces little or no fruit, spreading itself 
rapidly by its runners. 

Now, as there are two ways of propagating the 
straw^berry, one by its seeds and the other by its run- 
ners, the question is, which method do we prefer ? If 
we were going to introduce the strawberry -leaf for a 
tea, for which it makes a good substitute, common 
sense would dictate to us to cultivate for runners, and 
stop the fruiting, or perfecting the seed, as the fruit is 
nothing more than the receptacle for the seed ; and if, 
on the other hand, we wish seeds or fruit, we must 
cultivate for that purpose alone, and stop the runners. 

Intelligent experimental cultivators have long since 
discovered that plants have a specific food for their 
wood, leaves, and fruit. Physiologists know full w^ell 
that it takes different substances to form the bones, 
flesh, and muscles of animals ; and, profiting by these 
hints in nature, I would feed for fruit instead of vines. 
Before planting out the vines, the cultivator should 
understand the sexual character of the plants, as upon 
a proper knowledge of this fact will depend his whole 
success in culture. That plants are staminate and pis- 
tillate, or male and female, no intelligent cultivator will 



APPEXDIX. 113 

now presume to deny. But in the straAvberry there 
are three varieties — the perfect male, the perfect female, 
and the hermaphrodite. The perfect pistillate, or 
female, is the most productive of the three, when im- 
pregnated bj one of the other kinds. The perfect 
staminate, or male, produces no fruit, making a great 
show of flowers, and sending out innumerable runners 
which will soon take possession of the whole bed. 
The hermaphrodite produces fruit, but not in so great 
abundance as the pistillate, and answers the purpose of 
an impregnator equally as well as the purely staminate. 
These three varieties of flowers are represented by Figs. 
1, 2, and 3, page 51. 

Fig. 1 is from an hermaphrodite plant, which blooms 
and impregnates itself The stamens, marked a, are 
full of a fine pollen, or yellow powder, which falling 
on the end of the unopened calyx of the buds, below 
the flower, or around it, on the pistillate plants, is 
carried by an unseen agency direct to the pistil, im- 
pregnating and setting the fruit. This variety is the 
Early Scarlet, a continuous bloomer with my culture, 
and the best impregnator for the ever-bearing Hovey 
Seedling I have ever met. 

Fig. 2 is the sterile staminate, or male plant, never 
producing fruit under any circumstances whatever. It 
will be observed the flower is larger and more showy 
than the others. It deceives many an inexperienced 



114 APPENDIX. 

cultivator with its false promises of fruit. The flower 
of the pure male may be easily known by its large 
anthers and stamens, as marked a, &, in Fig. 2. 

Fig. 8 is the pistillate or female blossom. It will be 
observed that there are no stamens around the pistil, as 
6, but nearly every bud will produce a berry if impreg- 
nated by one of the staminate or hermaphrodite plants. 
Of this variety is the Hovey Seedling, w^hich, as far as 
my experience goes, is the best strawberry ever yet 
cultivated, jSTorth or South. 

Before proceeding to the method of culture, I will 
give my views of the time of impregnation, being fully 
satisfied that the generally received opinion that the 
strawberry is impregnated after the petals expand, is 
entirely erroneous. I have long since observed that 
the first straAvberry blossoms never produce fruit. The 
staminate varieties, or rather the hermaphrodite, open 
from two to ten blossoms, which must shed their pollen 
on the ends of the unopened calyx of the young buds 
below, or Ml on the ends of the unopened pistillate 
buds, and immediately cause impregnation. 

The pollen of flowers is one of the most volatile 
substances in nature. That of the strawberry, viewed 
through a microscope, is a hairy substance, which, 
upon ripening, bursts and floats off on the least 
breath of air. The point of the unopened calyx 
contains a glutinous matter, which catches and holds 



APPENDIX. 115 

this hairy pollen, and the work of impregnation is 
clone ; and when the calyx opens, and the petals ex- 
pand, the young strawberry may be seen perfectly 
formed. From this will be seen the importance of the 
pistillate and staminate varieties blooming together. I 
would always prefer the pistillate plant for a large fruit 
crop ; for, if properly impregnated, nearly every bud 
^vill be a berry. Thousands of blossoms will be 
found in the beds to correspond with Figures 2 and 3, 
Fig. 2, let it be recollected, is a staminate or male 
flower, and Fig. 3 an impregnated pistillate or female 
flower, neither of which, by itself, can ever make fruit. 

Having now explained the sexual character of the 
plant, and the time of impregnation, I will proceed to 
the culture. As I have before stated, were I to culti- 
vate for vines alone, I would stimulate the plants by 
the most active fertilizers ; but if fruit be the object, 
the luxuriance of the vine must be curtailed, and that 
food only known as the special food of the fruit given. 

Now as to soils. There are as many opinions as cul- 
tivators, from the fact that the strawberry adapts itself 
to almost any kind of soil. But the soil which I have 
found to suit them best, is a sandy loam. I would pre- 
fer new land for the beds, with a stream of w^ater 
running through them, as VN^ater, being an indispensable 
requisite, should be in the vicinity. 

It is now well known throughout the Southern 



116 APPEN"DIX. 

States tliat for many years I have cultivated the 
strawberry -extensively, and have had from my beds 
a constant succession of fruit six months in the year, 
and frequently have it ten. AYhile I am now writing, 
(December 24), one of my beds, of an acre, is loaded 
with ripe fruit, specimens of which I have sent to New 
Orleans, Montgomery, Savannah, Charleston, Mobile, 
and New York. This bed has scarcely produced a 
runner the past season. The causes of this will be 
found in my method of culture. I have said that I 
prefer a sandy soil and new land. My grounds are on 
wdiat are called "piney woodlands," hill and valley, 
wdth never-failing streams meandering through them. 
I have taken the grounds bordering on the streams, 
ploughed them deep, and laid them off in rows, two 
feet apart, and jilanted as indicated in the annexed 
diagram : — 



o 


o 


O 


o 


o 


o 


o 


o 


Early Scarlet. 


* 


* 


->5- 


* 


* 


* 


* 


* 


Ilovey's. 


* 


■K- 


•jf 


•5f 


* 


* 


->r 


.;i 


Hovey's. 


* 


* 


4f 


-X- 


* 


•K- 


* 


* 


Hovey's. 


* 


•5f 


* 


■^ 


^ 


^ 


•X- 


•5f 


Hovey's. 


^ 


-Jf 


* 


-:f 


* 


•K- 


•K- 


^r 


Hovey's. 


* 


* 


-X- 


•■>5- 


* 


* 


7f 


-:f 


Hovey's. 


* 


•5f 


« 


^ 


vf 


•X- 


* 


•^ 


Hovey's. 



^^'^o^'^^o Early Scarlet. 

I plant the pistillate for fruit, and the hermaphrodite 

for impregnators ; and the only two which I have 



APPENDIX. 117 

found to bloom and fruit together the whole season 
arc the Hovej Seedlmg and Large Early Scarlet. 
Eoss Phoenix, Burr's New Pine, and a seedling of my 
own, not yet fully tested, I have also caused to bear 
continuously. I plant seven rows of the pistillate, and 
one row of the hermaphrodite, two feet apart each 
way. The first season I let the runners fill the ground ; 
in the fall, go through the grounds with hoes, thinning 
out to eight or ten inches, leaving the vines to decay 
just where they are cut up. I then cover the whole 
bed with partially decomposed leaves from the woods 
or swamps. The winter rains beat down the leaves, 
the fruit-germ finds its way through them, and the first 
mild weather of spring the blossoms appear. 

I have before spoken of the volatile nature of the 
pollen. In very dry weather the particles float off on 
the winds, and much is lost to the buds below ; hence 
the importance of watering freely when in bloom. 
Free applications of water will set the whole bed with 
fruit, which will require continuous watering to swell 
and ripen it. A strawberry bed may be moist, the 
plants in fine condition, and yet one good shower will 
make a difference of one-third in the quantity of fruit 
picked the day after. Consequently, in dry seasons, 
artificial watering must be resort-ed to, and no labor 
will paj better 

I never use animal manure of any kind — nothing 



118 APPENDIX. 

but the leaf-mould, and an occasional sprinkling of 
wood-ashes. The leaf-mould keeps the ground cool 
and moist, as well as the fruit clean, and does not 
stimulate the vines to runners. The potash and acids 
contained in it are just what the fruit wants. Should 
the vines be disposed to spread, keep the runners 
down by constant pinching oft] and clear out the grass 
and weeds with the hoe. A few years of this culture 
will check their disposition to run, and encourage them 
to fruit. The bed, once thus formed and cultivated, 
will, to my certain knowledge, continue productive 
tvv^elve years, and, I have reason to believe, as much 
longer as the culture is continued. Should the vines 
have taken j)Ossession of the ground, in spite of the 
efforts to keep the runners down, we go through in the 
fall with the hoe, thinning out the plants to ten or 
twelve inches, leaving every cut-up vine to decay on 
the ground where it grew ; we then cover with the 
decaying leaves. When the plants begin to bloom in 
the spring, a top-dressing of wood-ashes will be found 
beneficial. I have tried strawberry culture with the 
plough, which Avill make a greater quantity of vines, 
but will give only one crop of fruit. It is generally 
remarked that the Avild strawberry is liner flavored 
than the cultivated ; but with this treatment the latter 
retains all the original flavor. 

It has been recommended by some cultivators to 



APPENDIX. 119 

irrigate tliG strawberry grounds by letting water on 
tlie vines; but the strawberry, cultivated after the 
manner described, can bear as great a drought as any 
otlier plant. It is not the vines and leaves that want 
the water, but the flowers and fruit; and the water 
must come in the form of rain, through the clouds, 
from an engine, or a common watering-pot. 

I have noticed quite a contest going on among hor- 
ticulturists as to the possibility of strawberries chang- 
ing their sexual character by cultivation. Without 
taking part in the controversy, I must state that I 
v/ould as soon think of high feed turning a cow to a 
ball, as to change the pistillate character of Hovey's 
Seedling by any method of cultivation. I have culti- 
vated the strawberry under every aspect ; with high 
manuring, and without manure ; in new lands, and on 
old lands ; bave bad the vines stand from twelve to 
eighteen inches liigh, and in meek submission to hug 
the ground ; yet I have never found the least change 
in the blossom. A perfect pistillate or staminate flower, 
first blooming so from seed, will never bloom any 
other way. Cultivators are often deceived about their 
plants, from the fact that they frequently find varie- 
ties in the beds which they did not j^lant ; but these 
spring from seed. The strawberry springs from seed 
with astonishing rapidity. Since my beds were started, 
the whole country around me is covered with straw- 



120 APPENDIX. 

berrj-plants from the seed dropped by birds. These 
I find running into all varieties — pistillate, staminate, 
and hermaphrodite — most of th-em worthless, but some 
with good fruit. 

The proper time for transplanting the strawberry at 
the South, is as soon in the fall as the weather is cool 
and moist enough. Here, this may be continued until 
spring. Plants are easily transported great distances 
in the winter. I have sent them 2,000 miles with 
safety. It will be observed by the diagram, that I 
plant the staminate every eighth row. Some cultiva- 
tors mix in the rows ; but I prefer to keep them sepa- 
rate and distinct, as they are more easily distinguished, 
and kept better in their places. 

Now, if the cultivator would know the secret of my 
having strawberries six, eight, and even ten months in 
the year, in the hot climate of Georgia and Alabama, 
it is this : proper location, vegetable manures, shade to 
the ground, without exhaustion, and Avater to the bloom 
and fruit. 

One reason why so many fail in garden culture with 
the strawberry is, that the beds are surrounded by trees 
and shrubbery, which may produce one crop of fruit 
in the spring, but rarely more than that, unless it 
should prove a very wet season. The strawberry -bed, 
whether in the garden or the field, should have no tree, 
plant, or shrub near enough to it to take the moisture 



APPENDIX. 121 

from the earth. The plants require all the moisture 
from the atmosphere and the earth around them. 
Whether the strawberry was originally found in cold 
climates, or not, I find they readily adapt themselves 
to any climate, and very soon become indigenous. I 
doubt whether there is a State in this Union that can- 
not produce the strawberry months, instead of weeks, 
■'n the year, with proper culture. And when we take 
into consideration the ease and simplicity of its cul- 
ture, its continued bearing and productiveness, its 
exemption from all insect depredations, its delicious 
flavor and healthy influence upon the system, it ranks 
first in importance among the fruits of the earth. 



A.PPENDIX B. 



[From Downing's Horticulturist] 

TWO EXPERIMENTS MADE TO TEST MR. LONGWORTH'S 
STRAWBERRY THEORY. 

Taking Hovey's Seedling as a subject, I procured a 
bell-glass, and placed it over an entire plant which had 
not bloomed. The flowers e:5cpanded well under the 
glass, but did not produce one berry. The plant was 
frequently agitated to put the pollen in motion, if there 
was any. 

6 



122 APPENDIX. 

I also iirtroduced under a glass some blossom buds 
before they had blown. These, as thej successivelj 
expanded, showed no signs of swelling. I impreg- 
nated; at different times, two of the blossoms by hand, 
applying the pollen from another plant with a camel's 
hair pencil. These two set their fruit perfectly. The 
pistils of the other blossoms soon turned to a dark 
color. These experiments were made at the north 
aide of a picket fence, where the plants were screened 
from the full effects of the sun, otherwise the heat 
under the glasses would have been too great. 

These experiments prove, to my mind, very conclu- 
sively, that Hovey's Seedling will not bear any fruit 
unless impregnated by some staminate variety. And 
the same may be said of other varieties in which the 
stamens are obsolete. I have had some plants of the 
Hudson Bay for three years, in a position where they 
cannot very easily be impregnated by other kinds, 
during which time they have not borne one berry, 
while other plants of the same variety, exposed, have 
been productive. A difference in the formation of the 
flowers on different plants is not confined to cultivated 
kinds, but may be seen in those growing wild in the 
fields, the pistillate plants of which I have often exam- 
ined with a magnifying-giass, to see if I could discover 
any pollen, but have never been able to find it ; I am 
forced, therefore, to believe \h^t pistillate plants, both 



APPENDIX. 123 

wild and cultivated, are absolutely devoia of pollen, 
and cannot, therefore, produce any fruit except when 
impregnated by others. 

I am also convinced, from observation and theory, 
that one kind will never change to the other by offsets, 
the runner bearing the same relation to the plant pro- 
ducing it as a tree grown from a bud does to the tree 
from which it was taken. It may, then, be asked. How 
does it happen that there are pistillate and staminaie 
plants of the same variety ? I answer^ It is not thefaci^ 
unless they have sprung from seed, or the plants have 
been taken from the fields in a wild state. 

That pistillate plants are surer and better bearers 
than staminaie plants, is, I think, generally true, (pro- 
vided, of course, that they are impregnried). And it 
would seem reasonable to infer that when but one of 
the sexual organs is complete, the other will have 
more strength. Plants, therefore, that are perfect in 
both organs, require a higher state of cultivation. 
There is, however, a wide difference in the produc- 
tiveness of different kinds that are perfect in both 
organs, some being much more liable to blast than 
others. G. W. Huntsman. 

Flushing, L. I., July 14, 1846. 



124 APPENDIX. 



APPENDIX C. 



Cincinnati, Ohio, Aug. 14, 1854. 
Mr. E. G. Pardee : 

Dear Sir: — Bj this mail I send jou a grape 
pamphlet, containing an article written bj me on the 
strawberry. I will, in a day or two, send you a Eeport 
of our Strawberry Committee, written by Dr. Warder, 
on Mr. Meehan's doctrine of changing a pistillate to a 
staminate plant. Mr. Meehan finds plants that he took 
from what was called a bed of Hovey's Seedling, and 
had nearly all proved staminates or hermaphrodites. 
Dr. Warder and Mr. Heath, of our city, saw his plants, 
and found about one Hovey to the hundred. The 
Hovey is so strongly marked that our children can 
distinguish the plant from all others. Mr. Meehan 
never heard of a pistillate plant till he came to Amer- 
ica. I sent some of our seedlings to the President of 
the London Horticultural Society last winter, and 
among them pistillates. He replied that he was not 
aware that there were plants that would not bear fruit 
without impregnation, and suggested that the failure to 
bear, he presumed, was from frost. He promised to 
investigate the subject. Mr. Huntsman, of Flushing, 
Long Island, is a botanist, and has given great atten- 



APPENDIX. 125 

tion to the cultivation and sexes of tlie plant. From 
tlie stem and leaf lie can designate some fifty varieties 
that he has had in cultivation. I would recommend 
you to get his views. It is singular that after public 
attention has been brought to the question for twenty 
years or more, even botanists and horticultural editors 
deny the doctrine. K generally understood, the dis- 
covery of the ignorant market-gardener is worth mil- 
lions of dollars. After I had made the discovery, from 
a chance observation of a son of Mr. Abergust, I was 
at the gardens of persons near the city of Philadelphia, 
where Mr. Abergust resided, prior to his emoval to 
Cincinnati, and named the matter to them. "Oh," 
said they, '^we now understand it. He lived near us, 
and from the same space of ground raised five times 
as much fruit as we could, and larger. Every fall he 
thinned out his plants, and threw them in the road ; 
we gathered them, and planted them in our gardens, 
and they never bore a single fruit. He threw out 
staminates only, and to deceive them. The son of Mr. 
Abergust was in my garden a few days before my 
plants were in blossom, and observed, "Your straw- 
berries bear a bad crop." I observed, such was the 
fact. He added, "They are all males." I replied, 
" That is all nonsense. The strawberry is a plant that 
bears flowers perfect in both organs." "I am no 
botanist," said he, "but I know most of yours will 



126 APPENDIX. 

bear no fruit." I requested him to point out any that 
would. He selected two. I inquired, " Can you then 
see the difference?" "Not now," said he; "I could if 
they were in blossom." I found him disposed to give 
no further information. I marked the plants, and 
when in blossom, could distinguish them at a distance 
of several feet. There was not one of these to the 
hundred. Before they were out of blossom, I cast 
them all out, as I supposed ; they spread, and the next 
season I had a full crop. But finding a few barren 
plants before they were out of blossom, I dug them all 
up, and the next season had not a single berry. I then 
understood the subject, and made it known. In that 
day we had no hermaphrodite plants. 
Yours truly, 

IS;. LONGWORTK. 



CINCINNATI HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 

The Secretary, at the request of the Society, reported 
a written statement of how he found the strawberry 
question in Philadelphia ; after some animated discus- 
sion, it was moved to accept and file the report, and 
the finality was ordered to appear in the minutes of 
the day. 

It has long been argued by some distinguished hor- 
ticultural writers that certain varieties of the straw- 



APPENDIX. 127 

beiTj — for instance, Hovej's Seedling — would produce 
at one time plants with pistillate, and at another time 
staminate blossoms. This error has been explained 
by the fact, that a bed of strawberry plants of any 
known pistillate variety, after standing three or four 
years, and the fruit falling and decaying on the bed, 
will produce seedling plants, and of course new varie- 
ties, and these are as likely to be staminate as pistil- 
late sorts. The following is the 

Finality on the Strawbekry. — Wild or culti- 
vated, the strawberry presents, in its varieties, four 
distinct forms or characters of inflorescence. 

1st. Those called Pistillate^ from the fact that the 
stamens are abortive, and rarely to be found without 
a dissection of the flower. These require extrinsic 
impregnation, 

2d. Those called Staminate^ which are perfectly des- 
titute of even the rudiments of pistils, and are neces- 
sarily fruitless. 

3d. Those, called Ilerma'phrodite or perfect, having 
both sets of organs, stamens and pistils, apparently well 
developed. These are not generally good and certain 
bearers, as we should, expect them to be. With few 
exceptions they bear poorly, owing to some unob- 
served defect, probably in the pistils. One-tenth of 
their flowers generally produce perfect and often very 
large berries. 



128 APPENDIX. 

4th. A rare class — a sort of s-abdivision of the pre- 
ceding — has not only hermaphrodite flowers, but also 
some on the same truss that are of the pistillate charac- 
ter ; and sometimes, in the same plant, a truss will be 
seen on which all the flowers are pistillate. 

ISTow these four divisions are natural and real; they 
are also founded upon permanent character, so far as 
we have been able to discover, after a most thorough 
investigation, extending through a long series of years, 
during which millions of strawberry blossoms have 
been examined with the severest scrutiny. Other 
forms may exist, and it is not claimed to be impossible 
that we may yet find a seedling which shall have the 
general character of a pistillate, that may show an 
occasional perfect or hermaphrodite flower, as a pecu- 
liarity of that individual, but Y\'e have never yet 
observed such a variety ; and, further, we believe that 
whatever impress, as to peculiarities of foliage, pubes- 
cence, habit, inflorescence, or fruit, each distinct seed- 
ling may receive with its origin, it will be retained in 
its increase by runners, so long as the variety remains 
extant. Seedlings may vary from the parent, but 
off-shoots will not be materially different, except by 
accidental malformation or by development of unim- 
portant organs. 

John A. Waeder, Secretary. 



APPENDIX. 129 



APPENDIX D. 



Prom the ' Horticulturist," August, 1854 By P. Barry, Editor. 
THE CULTIVATION OF THE STRAWBERRY. 

The discussion of the Strawberry question, whicli 
has occupied the pages of agricultural and horticultural 
journals so largely for a few years past, has been the 
means, directly and indirectly, of advancing materially 
the cultivation of that fruit. We find ample evidence 
of this in the more abundant supply of our markets, 
and in the production of a large number of seedling 
varieties. Kccent letters from correspondents in all 
parts of the country, as well as the reports of late 
exhibitions, all testify to the very general interest 
which is felt on the subject, and the progress that has 
been made. But, after all, we are constrained to say 
that our cultivation is yet very indifferent. The size 
and appearance of the great bulk of fruit offered in 
market, convince us of this. Those who know how to 
cultivate are in many cases slovenlj^, or act upon the 
principle that good culture will not pay ; while there 
are many who fail for want of correct information. 
We have now before us a large number of inquiries on 
the subject. One wants to know how to prepare the 
soil; another, wh^n to plant; and another, how to 
6* 



130 APPENDIX. 

plant. Several correspondents who are well informed 
on the subject of cultivation, ask us to give them the 
names of the best perfect-flowering sorts, as thej are 
tired of keeping separate the staminate and pistillate 
varieties. AVe have therefore thought it might be 
well to offer a few hints which will serve as a general 
answer. 

"We will state here, at the Dutset, that to cultivate 
the strawberry successfully, ^ but a simple matter. 
To grow large, handsome, iir.e-flavored fruit in abun- 
dancC; it is not necessary to employ a chemist to furnish 
us with a long list of specifics, nor even to employ a 
gardener by profession, who can boast of long years of 
experience. Any one who can manage a crop of corn 
or potatoes, can, if he will, grow strawberries. We 
say this much by way of encouragement, because so 
much has been said in regard to various methods of 
culture, and various applications and specifics, that 
some people have become persuaded that a vast deal of 
learning and experience is necessary to produce large 
crops of strawberries. 

Judging from what we have seen, we believe that 
the great cause of failure is negligence. The straw- 
berry plant — not like a tree, which when once set in 
its place, remains there — is constantly sending out 
shoots (runners) in all directions, taking possession of 
the ground rapidly around the parent plant. In a 



APPENDIX. 131 

short time, therefore, unless these runners are kept in 
check, the ground becomes entirely occupied with 
plants, the parent plants become exhausted, and the 
ground can no longer be stirred or kept in such a con- 
dition as is necessary to sustain their vigor. The re- 
sult is, the ground is covered with a mass of starved 
and weakly plants, choking up each other in a hard, 
uncultivated soil, and producing a spare crop of small, 
in^pid berries, that dry up on their stalks before they 
are ripe, unless rain happens to fall every day. 

The constant stirring of the soil around the plants 
is one thing which in our climate is absolutely neces- 
sary ; and any system of culture which precludes this, 
or throws any obstacle in its way, is defective. If any 
one Avill examine his strawberry beds, he will find the 
plants along the outer edges of the beds, where the soil 
has been kept clean and fresh by the frequent use of 
the hoe, vigorous and healthy, with luxuriant dark- 
green foliage, and large, fine fruit ; while in the interior 
of the beds, where the plants have grown into masses, 
and covered all the ground, so as to prevent its culti- 
vation, they are yellow and sickly-looking, and the fruit 
poor and wortless. This we see in our own grounds, 
and everywhere that we find plants growing under 
similar circumstances. Does this not show the neces- 
sity of cultivation close around the plants ? No mat- 
ter how deep we may trench the soil; or how unsparing 



182 APPENDIX. 

we may be with mannres, or how copiously we supply 
moisture, this cultivation camiot be dispensed with, if 
we aim at producing fine fruits, and abundance of 
them. "Bat," says one cultivator, "by allowing the 
ground to be all occupied with plants, we save all the 
labor which would be consumed in removing the run- 
nerS; and we avoid the necessity of applying a mulch- 
ing to keep the fruit clean." Very true, you save some 
expense ; but what do you get in return ? A crop of 
fruit not fit for the table — small, insipid, and so dirty, 
if a heavy rain occurs about ripening- time, that it must 
be put through the wash-tub before it is placed on the 
table. It is possible that the market-grower may be 
able to produce berries of this kind at a less price per 
quart than he could by a careful, cleanly, and thorough 
system of culture ; but then he can expect to sell such 
fruit only when no better can be had. We have some 
doubts, however, as to the economy of bad culture in 
the long run. If a proper system were adopted at the 
outstart, and followed up with regularity, it Avould not 
be found so profitless or expensive. In this, as in 
every other kind of culture, a system is absolutely 
necessary. A certain routine of operations which are 
easily executed if taken at the right time, become bur- 
densome when deferred ; and being so, they are not 
unfrequently put off altogether. Precisely thus it is 
that strawberry beds are neglected, both in market 



APPENDIX. 133 

gardens and private gardens, until tliey are grown 
wild beyond hope of recovery. Now, we say to every 
one wlio wislies to cnltivate strawberries, resolve at 
once upon abandoning the " lazy -bed" system ; and if 
you cultivate but a square rod, do it Avell. 

We advise planting in rows not less than two feet 
apart, unless ground be very scarce, when eighteen 
inches might suffice, and the plants to be twelve to 
eighteen inches apart in the rows. In extensive field 
culture, the rows should be at least three feet apart, in 
order to admit the use of the plough and cultivator 
between them, or even the passage of a cart to deposit 
manures or mulching material. The spade and wheel- 
barrow are too costly impliments for an extensive cul- 
ture where labor is scarce and high, as with us. From 
the time the plants are set until the fruit is gathered, 
the runners should be cut away as fast as they appear, 
and the ground be kept clear of weeds, and Avell 
worked. 

In the fall, or before the setting in of winter, a 
mulching of half-decayed leaves or manure should be 
placed between the rows, coming close around the 
plants, leaving the crown or heart uncovered. This 
mulching prevents the plants from being drawn out 
and weakened, or destroyed by freezing and thawing 
in winter. We have sometimes covered the entire 
beds, plants and all, with newly-fallen leaves ; and by 



13-i APPENDIX. 

raking tliem off earlj in the spring, the plants came 
out in fine order. In the same way we have covered 
with clean wheat straw, and found it answer well. In 
all the Northern and Western States, some winter pro- 
tection is of great service, although not indispensable. 
In field culture, the earth might be ploughed up to 
the plants, as is done with nursery trees, in such a 
manner as to afford considerable protection against the 
action of frost on the root. 

As soon as the fruit begins to attain its full size, and 
approach maturity, the spaces between the rows, which 
up to this time have been under clean culture, should 
be covered with straw, litter, or moss. This will 
serve the double purpose of keeping the fruit clean 
and retaining the moisture in the soil. When copious 
supplies of water are to be applied, which should 
always be done when practicable, stable litter is a good 
mulching, as the water poured on it carries down with 
it to the roots of the plants the fertilizing materials 
which it contains. 

The application of water in abundance we must 
again recommend to all who want the finest fruit. 
Rains are very good, but they cannot be relied upon, 
and they always deprive the fruit of its flavor, while 
artificial waterings do not. On this account the 
French gardeners say that the strawberry "prefers 
wat^r from the well to water from the clouds." It is 



APPENDIX. 135 

supposed that the electricity which pervades the atmos- 
phere during our summer rains affects the flavor of 
the fruit. 

When the crop has been gathered, the mulching 
material between the rows should be removed and the 
ground be forked over, so that if plants are wanted to 
form a new plantation, their growth will be encour- 
aged. The same plants should not be relied upon for 
more than two crops. The labor of making a new 
bed, save the trenching of the soil, is no more than 
that of planting a plot of cabbages. 

As to the season for planting, we would recommend 
the spring for large plantations, because then there is 
comparatively no risk of failure. The amateur, how- 
ever, who wishes only to plant a bed in his garden, 
may do it at any time that he can procure good plants. 
If the growth of runners is encouraged in July, after 
the fruit is gathered, good, well rooted runners may be 
had about the first of September, or it may be sooner. 
The young plants nearest the parent plant should 
always be chosen, if possible. In planting during the 
month of August or September, rainy weather should 
be chosen, if possible, but it may be safely done, even 
in a dry time, by using water freely. Water the plants 
well before taking them up, as it injures the roots very 
much to draw them out of dry ground ; then water the 
soil thoroughly where they are to be set, before plant- 



136 APPENDIX. 

ing. A sprinkling will be of no use : it must go down 
deep, as a heavy rain w^ould. Set the plants in the 
evening, and shade them a few days with boards set 
on edge, forming a sort of roof over them. Mulch 
them, too, wdth short litter ; and it will be well, if the 
plants be large, to remove some of the lower and 
larger leaves. Planting can be done safely in spring 
any time until the plants are in blossom — and all 
summer, for that matter, with proper care. 

We have thus briefly sketched the principal opera- 
tions in strawberry culture ; not in regular order, it is 
true, but we hope so as to be understood. We are not 
writing a book, and cannot enter into all the details 
with minuteness. We have said nothing of the soil, 
and will only remark that any good garden soil fit to 
produce culinary vegetables, or any good farm land fit 
for grain or root crops, will produce good strawberries ; 
but it must be deeply ploughed, or trenched, say twenty 
inches at least, and liberally manured with well-decom 
posed stable manure or a good compost. The quantity 
of manure must vary according to the degree of natural 
fertility of the soil. In one case, a quantity equal to 
six inches deep all over the surfoce would not be too 
much ; while in other cases, half that would be enough. 

We would prefer not to make a strawberry planta- 
tion twice on the same ground ; but when circumstances 
render it inconvenient to change, row^s of young plants 



APPENDIX. 137 

miglit be set. or allowed to establish themselves from 
the runners, between the old rows, which can then h% 
turned under with the spade, and will serve to enrich 
the ground. 

Now as to varieties. On this point there is room 
for a great diversity of opinion, and we cannot hope to 
name a list that will be acceptable to a very large num- 
ber of persons, at least in many parts of the country. 
Planters must have recourse to the best experience to 
be found in their respective localities ; in the mean time 
we shall express our opinion of a few varieties, and let 
it go for what it is worth. 

It happens that in this country the greater number 
of our most productive varieties have but one set of 
the organs of fecundation. A fruitful flower must 
have both pistils and stamens perfectly developed. 
The stamens are regarded as the male organs, and the 
pistils the female. When a flower has well-developed 
pistils, but no stamens, or imperfect ones, it must be 
impregnated by pollen from other flowers. Where a 
flower has no pistils, or has imperfect ones, it is utterly 
barren. A large number of our best American vari- 
eties — such as Hovei/s Seedling^ Burros New Pine^ 
McAvoiJs Superior^ Moyainensing^ &c. — are wanting in 
stamens, and therefore foreign impregnation is neces- 
sary^ In Europe this distinction is not observed to 
any extent, and all the English and continental varie 



138 APPENDIX. 

ties, as far as W(. know, are hermaphrodite. In this 
country very many of them fail from an imperfect 
development of the pistils, and are consequently bar- 
ren, owing doubtless to the effects of climate and cul- 
ture. It is not necessary that the two should be in 
close proximity ; they are sure to get impregnated, if 
in the same garden, as the pollen is carried about from 
one flower to another by insects. The beds of the 
different sorts may be kept entirely separate. Mixing 
them up is a bad way, as the one outgrows and over- 
runs the other, and they become so confused that 
nothing can be done with them. On this account 
many have grown tired of keeping up the distinction, 
and have resolved to cultivate hermaphrodite sorts 
only. 

The following varieties are the best on the long list 
of those we have tested on our own grounds : 

Pistillate. — Burr's New Pine, Jenny's Seedling, 
McAvoy's Superior, Hovey's Seedling, Moyamensing, 
Monroe Scarlet, and Crimson Cone. The finest flavored 
variety among these is Burr's Kew Pine ; the largest, 
Hovey's Seedling ; and the finest and best for market, 
Jenny's Seedling and Crimson Cone. Hovey's Seed* 
ling, in AYestern New York, and in many parts of the 
West, is a very moderate, and, in many cases, a poor 
bearer. We have had no crop so heavy the past season 
(when all bore well) as on the Monroe Scarlet. 



APPENDIX. 



139 



Staminate, or Hermaphrodite.— Large Early 
Scarlet, Walker's Seedling, Iowa, Boston Pine, and 
Genesee. All these may be grown successfully for 
market, and are good, without being first-rate in 
flavor. We think much more of Walker's Seedling 
now than we did last season. It is very hardy, and a 
great bearer. It appears to be a seedling from the 
Black Prince. The Boston Pine is the most uncertain 
on the whole list; without good soil and culture it 

fails entirely. 

Besides the above list, we would recommend to 
amateurs, who are willing to bestow thorough cultiva- 
tion and care on their plants, the British Queen, which, 
when well grown, surpasses in size, beauty and excel- 
lence, any we have named. The Bicton Pine, a large 
and beautiful white variety, which ripens late. We 
have had a fine crop of it this season, although our 
plants— being set last year— were seriously injured last 
winter. Like all the foreign sorts, it needs protection, 
and a deep, rich soil, with abundant moisture. The 
Wood Strawberries— red and white— bear most pro- 
fusely in all places and last a long time ; besides, they 
part freely from the calyx, and are therefore easily and 
rapidly picked, and their flavor is rich and agreeable 
to most people. In addition to these, we must mention 
the Bush Alpine, (having no runners), perpetual bear- 
era, if kept liberally supphed with moisture. They 



140 APPENDIX. 

deserve mucli more extensive cultivation tlian tlicy 
now receive. With their assistance, we may enjoy 
strawberries not one month only hut four months. 



APPENDIX E. 
LETTER FROM PETER B. MEAD. 

September 1st, 1854. 

E. G. Pardee, Esq. : Dear Sir — Your request, that 
I would give you a few remarks on the culture of the 
strawberry, I will now comply with, but necessarily in 
a brief manner. First let me say, that I am glad to 
learn that you are about to publish a manual On Straw- 
berry Culture. YoiS^ long experience and marked 
success will enable you to invest the subject with unu- 
sual interest. 

We cannot always command just such a soil as we 
want ; but we generally have the material at hand to 
modify it so as to answer our purpose very well. For 
the strawberry I prefer a sandy loam, well drained, 
and a southern exposure. An eastern aspect is also 
good. Animal manures I do not much use, except on 
a few of the hermaphrodites, and then very sparingly, 
and only that which is well decomposed. I much 
prefer prepared muck, leaf-mould, &c. When a stinm- 



APPENDIX. 141 

lant is required, a solution of guano, the salts of am* 
monia, dilute tannic acid, or a top-dressing of guano,* 
superphosphate of lime, potash, &c,, answers the pur- 
pose well. I prefer the ammonia and tannic acid. In 
a garden, strawberries should be planted in beds, and 
each kind kept distinct. Make the beds three feet wide, 
put three plants in a row, the two outside ones being 
six inches from the edge of the bed ; the plants will 
then be one foot apart. The rows should be eighteen 
inches apart ; but in a small garden they may be one 
foot apart. Select young plants in preference to old 
ones. Set the plant up to the crown, but do not cover 
it. Keep the ground open and porous, and free from 
weeds. A word as to to the best time for planting. I 
prefer early spring ; but where a supply of water is at 
hand, it may be done at any time ; for only give the 
strawberry plenty of water, and it will defy any amount 
of heat. I would remark, en passant^ that whoever 
attempts to water his strawberries must do it thorough- 
ly, if he Avould have his plants derive any benefit from 
it. A thorough soakinj once a week will do more good 
than fifty sprinklings a day. Where water is not at 
hand, the planting should be done during Aug-.ist and 

* Further experience has led mo to discard the use of guano, 
particularly as a top-dressing. It is not only too stimulating for 
the strawberry, but rapidly dissolves the vegetable constituents of 
the soil, which I consider essential to the plant. — January, 1856. 



142 APPENDIX. 

September, taking advantage of a heavy rain. I prefer 
tlie early part of September ; in fact, I have planted 
Hovey, Burr's New Pine, Walker's Seedling, and 
others, as late as the 21st of October, and every plant 
survived the winter without covering of any kind; 
but I would not recommend planting later than Sep- 
tember. 

Next, a few words about mulching and after-treatment. 
Latterly I have seldom resorted to mulching. I have 
a rake seven inches wide with prongs eight inches long, 
made of highly tempered steel. This is my mulcher. 
With this instrument I work between the rows from 
spring till fall ; and frequently when the plants are in 
fruit, I know I shall be told that this is a dangerous 
practice, and I admit that it is in inexperienced hands; 
indeed, I would not trust another to use it among my 
own plants, owing to the danger of injuring their 
fibres ; and 3^et I use it myself within an inch of the 
crown. When, therefore, I cannot give the necessary 
personal attention to my plants, I resort to the next 
best mulcher, which is tan^ either spent or fresh. I 
prefer the latter. The ground should first be well 
stirred, and the tan applied not more than one inch 
thick. If too much is applied it is apt to ferment and 
kill the plants. Many fine beds have been destroyed 
in this way. Where tan cannot be had, leaves from 
the woods may be used. These make an admirable 



APPENDIX. 14S 

mulch, and promise, in mj opinion, to take the first 
place among mulchers. Hay, straw, grass, sawdust, 
&c., are also good; but whatever is used for this 
purpose, the crown of the plants must in no case be 
covered. 

The beds having been properly made, the after- 
treatment becomes a very simple matter; indeed, I 
know of no plant that gives such generous returns at 
so small a cost of labor ; but you must not infer from 
this that I justify anything like neglect. The beds 
must be looked over occasionally, runners removed, 
weeds pulled up, and everything kept neat and clean. 
In the spring, rake the mulching into the walks, stir 
up the soil, apply a top-dressing if needed, and then 
put back the mulching. The best mode, however, is to 
apply one of the solutions before mentioned, after the 
fruit has set. The bearing-season may be considerably 
prolonged by thorough watering, and will amply repay 
the trouble where the means are at hand. As soon as 
the plants have done bearing, they will throw out run- 
ners, which must be pinched off, unless plants are 
wanted for new beds. I have no time to add more 
here, except to say, that he who would have good 
strawberries must cultivate them ; by which I mean the 
opposite of letting them take care of themselves. 

You will doubtless expect me to add a few words In 
regard to some of the leading varieties; but it wonlrl 



144 APPENDIX. 

be impolitic for me to saj mucli on this point, since 
you know I am now testing all the new varieties, and 
conducting a series of experiments having reference to 
the natural history of this most interesting plant. 
Friends have furnished me with varieties entirely new, 
and not yet sent out ; but these I have only had under 
trial since last May, and it would be quite premature 
to say much about them, though some of them are 
very promising. I am daily expecting more. At some 
future time I shall review them all. I do not hesitate 
to say, however, that the following are good, with- 
out at present designating them in any other way: 
McAvoy's Superior, Hovey's Seedling, Moyamensing, 
Burr's New Pine, Black Prince, Pennsylvania,^ Mc- 
Avoy's Extra Ked, (rather acid), Boston Pine, Alice 
Mande, Longworth's Prolific, Excellente, Walker's 
Seedling, Beach's Queen, Large Early Scarlet, Ange- 
lique. But I rather think I will stop, for I know not 
where this may lead me. Barr's New White and 
Bicton Pine are both large white varieties ; the former 
is best. 

* Pennsylvania will not bear well or produce good fruit except 
under generous treatment ; certainly not under trees, where, strangely 
enough, I have seen it while undergoing a trial ; and, as may natu- 
rally be supposed, a severe trial it proved. To the above list might 
be added, Scott's Seedling, Kate, Monroe Scarlet, Wilson's Seed- 
ling, Barry's No. 1, and others. No. 1, in my opinion, is much the 
best of Mr. Barry's Seedlings. — January, 1856. 



APPENDIX. 145 

You also tell me jou mean to acid some directions 
about tlie culture of currants, gooseberries, and other 
small fruits, as well as the grape. These things should 
be better grown than they generally are. Gooseberries 
and currants are usually seen as a mass of half-decayed 
branches, without form or sightliness. It is next to 
impossible to bring these into shape, or develop their 
maximum productiveness. It is better to begin anew. 
Procure plants struck from cuttings ; grow them with 
a clean stalk not less than six inches in height ; prune 
them every winter, keeping the heads well open, and 
shorten in last season's growth in the currant, but not 
in the gooseberry. These fruits are generally planted 
against the fence, or in some out-of-the-way corner, 
just where they should not be. Give them an open 
exposure, plenty of manure, and good culture, and you 
will be amply rewarded. The Ked Dutch is best for 
general purposes ; but Knight's Sweet Red, Cherry, 
Prince Albert, White Grape, and others, may be added 
where there is room. 

The raspberry and blackberry are also desirable in 
a garden, furnishing a delicious fruit at an opportune 
season. They both require a deep, rich soil. The 
blackberry may be planted against an east fence, alid 
the raspberry against a west fence — about the best 
places in the garden. The old wood of the raspberry 
shoulS be cut out after it has ceased bearing, and some 
7 



146 APPENDIX. , 

four or five canes of tlie newgrowtli retained for next 
season. The blackberry should be winter pruned, and 
shoi-tened in about tlie last of July. They should both 
be tied to stakes or to the fence, and the ground kept 
free from weeds. Of raspberries, the Fastolf, Eed 
Antwerp, and Yellow Antwerp are among the best. 
Dr. Brinckle has raised several seedlings, one of which, 
Col. Wilder, I have gro^vn and found to be good- 
The above in some localities, will need protection in 
winter, which is best done by bending down the canes 
and covering them with earth. Mr. Yan Dewenter, 
of Astoria, has a new everbearing raspberry, which 
will prove to be an acquisition."^ 

Of blackberries, the Improved High Bush (of Boston) 
and the Xew Rochelle are now pretty well known. 
The latter is certainly the best, and most productive : 
it is a most beautiful fruit, and worthy of general cul- 
tivation. I saw a basket of this fruit from Mr. Rose- 
velt, of Pelham, Westchester Co., the berries of which 
measured from three to three inches and a half in cir- 
cumference. Mr. Lawton has also shown fine speci- 
mens. About a year since, while at Chester, Morris . 

* This is really a continual bearer, being loaded with fruit until 
farther growth is checked by the severity of the frost. It is a good 
fruit of fair size, and ought to be widely disseminated. The Cata- 
wissa, which is represented to possess the same everbearing quali- 
ties, I have not seen Dr. Briuckle's Orange proves to b« among 
the best of all raspberries. — January, 1856. 



APPEXDIX. 147 

Co., K J., I saw a blackberry growing wild, closely 
resembliDg the iS^ew Eoclielle, and quite equal to it. 
I have a variety, however, which I consider superior 
to either of the above in point of flavor. It is very 
distinct in wood and foliage, and a strong grower. It 
is a hybrid variety, and may be had of Mr. More, of 
Yorkville. 

To say anything important of the grape in a few 
lines is no easy matter. The best soil, I apprehend, 
is a gravelly loam, thorotighhj underdrained, and sub- 
soiled or trenched. AYe expect the vine to yield its 
fruit for a lifetime at least, and should prepare the soil 
accordingly. The ground having been trenched, dig 
a hole not less than three feet square and two feet deep, 
and fill up nearly a foot with a compost of manure, 
bones, broken charcoal, lime rubbish, and vegetable 
mould, or as many of these materials as can be pro- 
cured, but no dead dogs, cats, or horses. Over this 
compost put a layer of the best soil ; then take j^our 
vine, spread the roots in their natural position, and fill 
up carefully. Vines three and four years old are the 
best, if they have been properly cared for, otherwise 
I would prefer those two years old. Pruning is a mat- 
ter of the first importance. In gardens, vines are grown 
upon either arbors or trellises, and the same kind of 
pruning will not answer for both. The arbor is gene- 
rally used for the purpose ^f shade as well as fruit, 



148 APPENDIX. 

and here spnr-pruning is gencrpJlj practised, but 
carried to sucli an extreme, tbat in the course of years 
the vines become knotty, stunted, and unproductive. 
The first year, little or no pruning is necessary ; if 
there is much top, however, it must be cut into two or 
three good-eyes. The vine is very tractable, and may 
be trained in the most symmetrical manner; this, 
however, is too often done at the expense of the best 
fruit-wood. In the case of the arbor, after the leaders 
have been trained to their places, and the vines have 
come into bearing, do not prune closer than three eyes. 
If the growth is likely to be too much, rub out the 
middle eye, leaving the third for fruit, and the first 
for bearing next year ; at which time cut away all the 
wood down to this first shoot, which latter must be cut 
to three eyes, rubbing out the second as before, and so 
on fi:om year to year. The truth is, it would require 
several pages to explain this matter fully, but I have 
no time for it. In the case of the trellis, what garden- 
ers call cane-pruning is the best. Select as many shoots 
as are wanted, and cut out all the rest ; these shoots 
are then shortened into the first good ey-e ; but if this 
should leave them too long, they must be cut to the 
desired length. I regret that I have not time to explain 
this fully ; but the principle is, to get rid of last year's 
bearing- wood, and keep the new wood as near to the 
body as possible. The grape border must be manured, 



APPENDIX. 149 

spaded, and cultivated with as much care as you would 
bestow on a crop of corn. A summer pruning is also 
necessary, which consists in thinning out the superflu- 
ous growth, and pinching in the laterals. The leaves 
of the grape-vine must in no case be removed. The 
best time to prune is in the fall and early winter. 

The best grapes for this latitude are the Isabella, 
Catawba, and Early Black, or Madeira; the latter only 
for the garden ; the Charter Oak, Royal Muscadine, (a 
synonyme), and others of that class, are worthless hum- 
bugs. The Diana is a small, sweet and rather pleasant 
grape, and desirable for localities where the Isabella 
will not ripen.* The Clinton and some others which 
are well spoken of I have had no opportunity of test- 
ing, and I have seen the fruit of many seedlings, which 
deserve no further mention, with the exception of a 
white variety with the Catawba flavor, and ripening 
first of September. I think this last will prove to be 
a very good grape. 

But this letter has reached a great length, and I 
must close it, with all its shortcomings. If it con- 



* I have elsewhere stated, in a report, as the result of further 
experience, that I consider the Diana valuable for general cultiva- 
tion ; and since then, the American Poraological Society lias put it 
on its general list. It is certainly a fine grape. The Concord, in 
regard to which there has been so much controversy, is deserving 
of a full and fair trial. — January, 1856. 



150 APPENDIX. 

tains anything of use to you for the purposes of 
your manual, you are at liberty to do what you plense 
with it. 

Sincerely yours, Peter B. Mead. 



APPENDIX R 
THE FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GARDEN. 

BY AN AMATEUR. 

There are a few accessories of the homestead more 
important than a good fruit and vegetable garden ; no 
home is perfect without them. If there is one thing 
more than another which adds to the comforts of a poor 
man's cottage, it is a well-kept garden, in its largest 
sense ; nay, it is a luxury, even to the millionaire. A 
well-regulated house within, and a well-kept garden 
without, make up much of the sum of human happi- 
ness. How few such there are ! The garden is too 
generally looked upon as something to minister to the 
mere appetite ; but, when rightly regarded, it exercises 
a moral and intellectual influence, which gives it a 
strong claim to the serious consideration of all who feel 
any concern in the ultimate destiny of the human race. 
Horticultural pursuits, above all others, bring into 
healthy play those powers of body and mind, the 
mutual exercise of which alone can keep up that just 



APPEXDIX. 151 

equilibrium of the physical, intellectual, and moral 
forces which makes the true man. 

I will now submit a few practical remarks on what 
may be called the Cottage Vegetable Garden, or rather 
Fruit and Yegetable Garden ; for, on a limited plot, 
they ought not to be separated. There is no good 
reason why a man with three or four city lots, each 
25 by 100 feet, should not indulge the luxury of a few 
choice fruits, equally with him who owns his acres. 

In what follows, it is supposed that the lots run 
north and south, the house being built on the north 
front, and the flower-garden separated from the vege- 
table by a rose-trellis the full width of the lots. The 
flower-garden and lawn will occupy another article. 

Let us suppose a man has four lots of ground, two 
of which are taken up with a house, lawn, flower-gar- 
den, &c. He will then have a plot 50 by 100 for a 
fruit and vegetable garden. ISTow it will not do to use 
half of this up with walks — a thing quite too common. 
Beginning at the rose-trellis, lay off a central walk 
four feet wide, through the length of the garden ; then, 
immediately behind the rose-trellis, lay off a grape- 
border ten feet wide, and parallel with this a walk 
three feet wide, stopping three feet short of each side- 
fence ; then borders three feet wide next the east and 
west fence; then, parallel with these, a walk three feet 
wide ; then a central walk four feet wide, through the 



152 APPENDIX. 

icidth of tlie garden, and a walk three feet wide close 
to the south fence. This arrangement will make four 
large central beds, each 40 by 17 feet, besides the bor- 
ders. The beds and borders should be edged with 
box, kept closely cut. The whole garden should be 
trenched two or three feet deeji. To make the walks, 
dig out the soil three feet deep ; fill in with stones 
about one foot, and cover them with stout brush ; then 
put in tlie soil, and finish with about six inches of 
coarse sand or gravel, raising the walks a little in the 
middle. Roll them from time to time till they become 
settled ; a good coating of salt will help to make them 
hard, and keep them free from weeds. Walks thus 
made will keep your feet dry, and joiu beds tolerably 
well drained — the latter an object which should never 
be lost sight of, especially where early fruit and vege- 
tables are desired. There are some matters connected 
with grading and levelling, which must be determined 
by the circumstances of each particular case. Lastly, 
there should be some eighteen inches of good soil, of 
which sod mould is the very best. No amateur can 
hope to have a good garden, pleasantly worked, unless 
everything is properly prepared from the beginning ; 
hence these particulars. 

Now let us see what permanent "fixtures" are 
wanted. Four feet from the rose-trellis, put in a row 
of posts, six or seven feet high and eight feet apart, 



APPENDIX. 153 

upon which stretch four stout wires. Plant a grape- 
vine between each post, and keep them well pruned, 
on the cane system. Eschew all charlatans and hum 
bugs, whether in the shape of men or vines, and among 
the latter, especially the Charter Oak. The walk, if 
made as directed, will keep this border well drained — 
a matter of much moment, where well-flavored grapes 
are desired. Two or three loads of gravel, incorpo- 
rated with the soil, w^ould make it still more congenial 
to the grape. Between each vine, and some three feet 
from the box edging, put in a rhubarb plant, and 
under it a good heap of manure. This is a good 
arrangement, notwithstanding some may object to it. 
In the centre of this border, where the wide walk 
intersects it, a summer-house may be erected. 

In the border around the east fence, plant the black- 
berry, some three or four feet apart ; in the west bor- 
der, plant the raspberry at about the same distance. 
It would be well, however, to reserve a portion of the 
west border for a few plants of sage, parsley, thyme, &c. 

There now remain the four large beds, the borders 
of which may be occupied with dwarf fruit trees ; no 
others should ever be grown in a garden, and by no 
means plant them in an auger-hole. I would recom- 
mend chiefly pears ; but, for the sake of variety, a 
couple of plums, apricots, cherries, quinces, &c., may 
be added. These should be planted in the border of 
7* 



154 ArpEXDix. 

the large beds, about three feet from the box edging, 
and some eight feet apart. Between each tree a cur- 
rant or gooseberry bush may be planted ; these should 
be raised from cuttings, grown to a single stalk, and 
regularly winter-pruned. This mode of planting is 
good in itself, and leaves all but the border of the 
large beds for the vegetables, strawberries, &c. One bed 
may be occuj)ied with strawberries and asparagus, but 
the latter must be^ kept three or four feet from the 
fruit trees. 

Having disposed of the principal permanent aiTange- 
ments, let us look for a moment at such vegetables as 
will have to be raised annually. For this purpose we 
have left three of the large beds. It is taken for 
granted that a good supply of well-prepared barn-yard 
manure has been procured, as well as a set of steel 
garden implements, which latter should always be kept 
as bright as a new penny. First make up your mind 
what you will grow, and how much of it. Then spread 
on a good coating of manure, and spade tr^^elve inches 
deep. It is surprising to a novice how much can be 
grown on a given surface. Beets, carrots, salsiiy, 
parsnips, lima beans, and some others, vnll occupy the 
ground the whole season. Beets should be sown thick, 
in drills six inches apart, each alternate row to be used 
for greens, as well as the thinnings of the others. 
Between the carrots, &;c., radishes may be sown. 



APPENDIX. 155 

Lettuce, radishes, &c., may be sown in the raspberry 
and bhackberry borders. Peas shonld be sown in 
double drills six inches apart, at intervals of three 
feet. Between the peas may be planted beets for 
greens, radishes, spinach, lettuce, &c., making two 
drills of each. The peas will come off in time for 
turnips, late cabbage, brocoli or celery; the latter 
should be planted in beds, the earth thrown out one 
spade deep, the celery planted in rows, one foot apart, 
and the plants from six to ten inches in the rows. 
Snap beans will be off in time for cabbage, turnips, 
fall spinach, &c. If beans are wanted in the fall, they 
may follow onions, Avhere these have been grown from 
sets. A few cucumbers may be planted in the fruit 
border. Sugar-corn should be planted in drills three 
feet apart, the plants six' inches in the drills for the 
small early varieties, and about a foot for others. For 
a succession, plant from early spring till the first week 
in July, two or more drills at a time, according to the 
wants of the family. Corn map may be planted after 
some of the crops named above. If one piece of 
ground is used, a portion of it will give you some early 
spinach and peas. Kadishes may also be planted from 
time to time along the fruit border, but too much of that 
will injure the trees. A few egg-plants and peppers 
may also be planted in the fruit border, but not imme- 
diately under the trees. By the exercise of a little 



156 APPENDIX. 

judgment, a variety of things maj be made to follow 
each other in this way, so that no spot of ground need 
necessarily remain unoccupied for a single day during 
the whole season. 

The ground must be kept free from weeds, and well 
worked at all times. When the weather is dry, use the 
hoe more frequently than usual, (a narrow, low-pronged 
rake is best), which will enable the ground to absorb 
moisture from the atmosphere, of which it always con- 
tains some, even in the dryest weather. Frequent 
stirring of the soil is important in another respect, in 
keeping it open and porous, and enabling it to take 
up the gases of the atmosphere, which constitute no 
inconsiderable portion of the food of plants. It will 
also give an earlier and better crop. Discard the prac- 
tice of earthing your plants; except for the purpose of 
blanching. Hilling should not be tolerated, except in 
soils naturally retentive of moisture ; the true remedy 
for which consists in underdraining, and not in hilling. 

The preceding remarks are mostly of a general 
nature, but a few words may be said here of the time 
and labor necessary to cultivate and keep in order a 
garden like that here described. A person familiar 
with the operations to be performed, and expert in the 
use of implements, can generally perform the necessary 
labor (unless he is dronish) without detriment to his 
daily business ; on the contrary, he will find himself 



APPENDIX. 157 

invigorated for the discharge of its duties. At all 
events, he will need but a few days' assistance for the 
rough work. I know that very much more than this 
has been done for j^ears. and will continue to be done. 
I speak this for the encouragement of those who desire 
to surround their homes with these luxuries, but whose 
means will not permit them to employ a permanent 
gardener. Much time is lost for want of proper know- 
ledge. The best advice I can give the novice is, first 
to learn what is to be done, and then learn how to do 
it, and always do it well. May the day come when 
even the common laborer shall be blessed with the 
comforts of a good home, and rejoice "under his own 
vine and" fruit "tree!" 



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t^^^i^AX^^^ ""' ^ ^^^^^^ ^'-'■'^'-'^^ ^^« Author's eS;'l^:s 

rHE.CCMPLETE FAE]V?ER AND AMERICAN GARDENER, 1 25 

Rural Economist and New American Gardenfr • Conff-uincr 

clu^hng Land..cape and Ornamental Gardening. By.TaoMAO G. Fesskn^eS 2 ;«£ 

fESSENDEN'S (T. G.) AMERICAN KITCHEN GARDENER - 50 

G«rd^en7,^^'''gb^''''™^' ^^ ^^ CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES AND 



Books Published hy A. 0. Moore. 

CASK'S (J. A.) PROGEESSIVE FAKMER, - - - - ^0 60 

A S JiENTiFic Treatise on Agricultural Chemistry, the Ge- 

olo<^ of Agriculture, on Plants and Animals, Manures and Soils, applied to Practical 

Agriculture ; with a Catechism of Scientific and Practical Agriculture. By J. A. iS ash 

BRECK'S EOOK OF FLOWERS, 1 00 

In which are Described all the Various Hardy Herbaceous 
Perennials, Annuals, Shrubs, Plants and Evergreen Trees, with Directions for theJr 
Cultivation. 
I WITH'S (C. H. J.) LANDSCAPE GARDENING, PARKS AND PLEASURE 

GROUNDS, 125 

With Practical Notes on Country Residences, Villas, Public 

Parks and Gardens. By Chakles H. J. Smith, Landscape Gardener and Garden 
Architect, &c. With Notes and Additions by Lewis F. Allen, author of Kural 
Architecture." 
fHE COTTON PLANTER'S MANUAL, - - - - 1 00 

• Being a Compilation of Facts from the Best Authorities on 

the Culture of Cotton, its Natural History, Chemical Analysis, Trade and Consumption, 
and embracing a History ol Cotton and the Cotton Gin. By J. A. Turner. 
OOBBETT'S AMERICAN GARDENER, - - - - ^0 

A Treati=;e on the Situation, Soil, and Laying-out of (gardens, 

and the making and managing of Hot-Beds and Green-Houses, and on the Propagation 
lid CuMvaS of the sevlral sorts of Vegetables, Herbs, Fruits and Flowers. 

ALLEN (J. FISK) ON THE CULTURE OF THE GRAPE, - I 00 

A Practical Treatise on the Culture and Treatment of the 

Grape Vine, embracing its History, with Directions for its Jr^^t^ent^" *5«^°3 

States ol America, in the Open Air and under Glass Structures, with and without 

Artificial Heat. By J. Fisk Allen. 

ALLEN'S (R. L ) DISEASES OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS, - 75 

Being a History and Description of the Horse, Mule, Cattle, 

Sheen Swine Poultry, and Farm Dogs, with Directions for their Management Breed, 
inl CroSng Kearing Feeding, and Preparation for a Profitable Market ; also their 
Di^^asesand^lemediel together with tu'' Directio^^^^ 

and the comparative Economy and Ad^ aniages of Working Animals, the Hoise, Mule, 
Oxen, &c By K. L. Allen. 
ALLEN'S (R. L.) AMERICAN FA RM BOOK, - - - 1 00 

Market Illustrated with more than 100 engravings. By K. L. Allen. 
ALLEN'S (L. F.) RURAL ARCHITECTURE; - - - 125 

■Rftng a Complete Description of Farm Houses, Cottages, and 

Beautifully illustrated. 
Schools. 



6 Books PahUshed hy A. 0. Moore. 

PARDEE (E. G.) ON STRAWEEHRY CULTURE ; . 7q1q 

witd t:^::^^^^^^^ Cc;.Tn-.xxo. o. the Stkawbekk. ; 

^^^^^^^SL^"^^^^^ andGrape; with 

here recommended has been Droved flit Wi'^' } 4*^ ^®^* 7»"«ties. "Every procesa 
given." With a valuable IneSd^x r onf.lf ' *'I>''^^r '"'^' ^"^^ ^^^ ^^^^'^ *« ^^^^ 
--eofthemostsuccessfuffl?;^torsTnS^^^^^^ «« 

•*GUENON ON MILCH C0W6 ; - . 

f ^^T i-te?nal7ndl^^tfoi: E • t^e' le'S ^?S"^5 by obser^ng Na/ura' 

f Mdk, &c., &c. By M. Fkanois G™w 7.f t v^ ^ ^™® ^^® ^'-^^ continue to give 

LAS P. Trist, Esq^; within toduSn' Rpml^r'" Vox''*'"- Translated by Nicho- 

the Dairy, by Jo^ s. SkinS lSns?r«T.H^ '-.1°^ Observations on the Cow and 

done up in pajer covers, 37 cts ^^^'^''trated with numerous engravings. Neatly 

AMERICAN POULTRY YARD- 

Bree^dsTS^Sc^?Li?r^;^^^^^ of the di^^ t 

Bearing, Fattening, and KVnaration Z m '^l''^^'^?^^'^^ their Breeding, CrosTng, 
Caponizing Fowls,%nd for tbTTrea?ment o' fh^ p'- '"^'^^^^^ «?«"«« directions for' 
subject, drawn from authentic S^esa^d irSnT^^' ^ 
numerous engravings. By D J Beowne ^ observation. Illustrated wiih 

BROWNE'S (D. JAY) FIELD BOOK OF MANURES ; . . i 05 

8ou25i^^^roSji^^?^^4^^^^!"f ^f the Nature, Properti.., 

monuse, with specific SSnsfof thpfrP^''^''' ?'''""^^^« ^"'^ Manures in Ooml 
and to Crops; drawn from aXntic soSrTes a^fn'^^'""'-'"^ Application to the Soil 
tion as combined with the LeadTng pXSer^^^^^^ P'^^^^'^^' «bserva- 

By D. Jay Bbownb. ^ nncipies ot Practical and Scientific Agriculture- 

EANDALI^'S (H. S.) SHEEP HUSBANDRY- 

ZsTregLi'LTm'er'aL Wi::te?M'''^ ^^^^^^- ^^^ ^^^^ ^-^C- 
Diseases, with ^or^S'^lTo^^lit^.fl^^ir^^^^ 0/ 

THE SHEPHERD'S OWN BOOK - 

ageJnfo^f tLtrdTen^eL^BlS^^^^^ AXB M^ 

agement, Breeding, and tl'e TrLmS)f Dis^.LT'^-i^ Summer and Winter Man- 
roCATT&KANDrLL; enibracinrSkfnnS Nof .« 'nn' t^^^ I^ustrative Engravings, by 
^h.ep in the United .'tates. and on th^^ult^r^ of Fi^^ Woof ''^ '^^ Managemint o^ 
YOUATT ON SHEEP , . . 

, ~; to^"^^^^^^^ with Illus'trative En' 

I the Unit.1 .tates, and on the^Ju^?u^fo%Tne*^,^o^^^^^^^^ 

YOUATT AND MARTIN ON CATTLE- ^7 Wixxiam YotrArr. 

' com^Sn^a"fJlSr;fThe'yS^^ A^; DiseI'' 

their capacity for Beef aVd Mifk^ By W^ToxriTT^anS ^"^i"V^Ar''^"- «".? ^^^"^«? 
forming a Complete Guide for the Farmer fhp t^af^ ^- h ^l^''™- The whole 

with 100 Illustrations. Edited by A«2Se15t;\^?s ' ^^^ ^eteraiary Surgeon, 

?OUATT ON THE HORSE ; . 



Books Published by A. 0. Moore, 

yOUATT AND MARTIN ON THE HOG ; - - - - ^0 75 

A Treatise on the Breeds. Management, and Medical Treat- 

uient of Swine, with Directions for Salting Pork, and Curing Hacon and Hauis. iy 

Wm. Touatt, V.S , and W. C L.Maktin. Edited by Ambbose Stevkkb. Illustrated 

witli Engravings drawn from life 

B LAKE'S (EEV. JOHN L.) FAEMER AT HOME; _ - 1 ?5 

A Family Text Book for the Country ; Deing a Cyclopedia of 
Agricultural Implements and Productions, and of the more important topics in Do- 
mestic Economy, : cience, and Literature, adapted to Eural Life. By Kev. John L.. 

l::iAKE,DD 

MUNN'S (B.) PRACTICAL LAND DRAINER; - " - 50 

Being a Treatise on Draining Land, in which the most approved 

BTstems of Drainage are explained, and their differences and comparative merits dis- 
cussed; with full Directions for the Cutting and Making of Drains, with Eemarks upon 
the various materials of which they may be constructed. With many illustrations. i>y 
B. MuNN, Landscape Gardener. 
ELLIOTT'S AMERICAN ERUIT GROWER'S GUIDE IN ORCHARD 

AND GARDEN ; ^ ^^ 

Being a Compend of the History, Modes of Propagation. Cul- 
mre, A-c, of Fruit Trees and Sh ubs, with descriptions of nearly all the varieties of 
iTuits cultivated in this country ; and Notes of their adaptation to localities, soi!s, ana 
a complete list of J ruita worthy of cultivation, i y F. R. Elliott, Pomologist. 
PRACTICAL ERUIT, ELOWER, AND KITCHEN GARDEiMER'S COM- 
PANION; - - '^r.^^^ 

With a Calendar. By Patrick Neill, LL.D., F.B.S^E., Secre 

taryof the Eoyal Caledonian Horticultural Society. Adapted to the United States 
from the fourth edition, revised and in.proved by the avahor Edited by G Emjkson 
M D Editor of "The American Farmers Encyclopedia." With Notes and Additiona 
by E.' G Pardee, author of '• Manual of the Strawberry Culture." With lUustrationa 

STEPHENS' (HENRY) BOCK CF THE FARM; - - 4 00 

4. Complete Guide to the Farmer, Steward, Plowman, Cat- 

tlem^an. Shepherd, Field Worker, and Dairy Maid. By Henrv Stephens. With Four 

Hu^d?ed aid Fifty Illustrations; to which are added Explanatory Notes, Kemarks, 

&c., by J. S. Skinner. Fvcally one of the best books a farmer can possess. 

PEDDERS' (JAMES) FARMERS' LAKD MEASURER ; - " 50 

Or Pocket Companion ; Showiner at one view the Contents of any 

Piece of Land from Dimensions taken In Yards. With a set of Usefol Agrlcultnr*. 

Tables. _. _> i .le 

WHITE'SlW.N.) GARDENING FOR THE SOUTH; - - I f^ 

Or the Kitchen and Fruit Garden, with the best methods for 

♦hPir Cultivation: together with hints upon Landscape and Flower Gardening; con- 
tSnc^ modes of ciTlture and descriptions of the species and varieties of the Oul nary 
VoSbTes Fruit Trees, and Fruits, and a select list of Ornamental Trees and Plonts, 
Sbv trial adapted to the States of the Union south of Pennsylvania, with Garden- 
ing CaiJndars tor the same. By Wm. N. Whitb, of Athens, Georgia. 

EASTWOOD (B.) ON THE CULTIVATION OF THE CRANBERRY ; 50 

With a Description of the best Varieties. By B. Eastwood, 
"Septimus" of the New York Tribune. 

AMERICAN BEE-KEEPER'S MANUAL ; - - - " ^ ^ °® 
Being a Practical Treatise on the History and Pomestio 

By T. B. MiKKB. 



Books Puhlished by A. 0, Moore. 



THAER'S (ALBERT DO AGRICULIURE - - - S2 CO 

'i'liE Fki.n'ciples of Agriculture, by Albert D. Th\er ; trans- 
lated by WiLLiiLM Shaw and Cttthbeet W. Johkson, Esq., F.K.S. With a Memoir 
ot the Author. 1 vol 8vo. 

This work is regarded by those who are competent to judge as one of the most 
beau rifiil works that has ever appeared on the subject of Agriculture. At the same 
time that it is eminently practical, it is philoso, hicat, and, even to the general reader, 
remarkably entertainmg. 
BOUSSINGATJLT'S (J. B.) RURAL ECONOMY, - - 1 25 

In its Eelations to Chemistry, Physics, and Meteorology : 
or, Chemistry applied to Agriculture. By J. B. BotrssiNQAirLT. Translated, with 
notes, etc., by George Law, Agriculturist. 

" The work is the fruit of a long life of study and experiment, and its perusal will 

•id the farmer greatly in obtaining a practical and scientific knowledge of his profes - 

eion." 

MYSTERIES OF BEE-KEEPIKG EXPLAINED ; - - - 1 00 

Being a Ccmflete Analysis of the Whole Subject, consisting 

of the Natural IliPtory ol Bees; Directions for obtaining the greatest amount of Pure 

Surplus Honey with the least possible expense; licmedies for losses given, and the 

Science of Luck fully illustrated ; the result ol more than twenty years' experience in 

extensive -Apiaries. By M Quinb>. 

THE COTTAGE AND EARM BEE-KEEPER ; - - . 50 

A Practical Work, by a Country Curate. 
WEEKS (JOHN M.) ON BEES.-A MANUAL ; . - - 60 

Or, an Easy Method of Managing Bees in the most profitable 
manner to their owner; with infallible rules to prevent their destruction by the Moih. 
With an appendix, by "Woostee A. Flandees. 

THE ROSE ; - 50 

Being a Practical Treatise on the Propagation, Cultivation, 
and Management »f the Rose in all Seasons; with a li«t of Choice and Approved Varie- 
ties, adapted to the Climate of the United States; to which is added full directions lor 
the Treatment of the Dahlia. Illustrated by Engravings. 

MOORE'S RURA.L HAND BOOKS, 1 25 

First Series, containing Treatises on — 

The Hoese, The Pests of the Faem, 

The Hog, Domestic Fowls, and 

The Ho>'et Bee, The Cow, 

Second Series, containing — . . - . 1 25 

'fivEET Lady hee oww Flowee Gaedenke, Essay on Manures, 
Elements of Ageioulttjee, American Kitchen Gaedeneb, 

RiED Fanciee, Ameeican Eo8E Cultueist. 

Third Series, containing — 1 25 

Mixes on the Horse's Foot, Vine Dressee's Manttal, 

The Rabbit Fanciee, Bee-Keei>e'8 Chaet, 

"Weeks on Bees, Chemistey made East. 

Fourth Series, contaimng — - - . - 1 25 

Persoz on the Vike, Hooper's Dog and Gtth, 

LlEBIG 8 FaMILIAE LETTERS, SkXLLFUL HoX'SEWIFB, 

Browne's Memoibs of Indian Corn. 

RICHARDSON ON DOGS : THEIR ORIGIN AND VARIETIES. . 50 

Directions as to their General Management. With numerou? 
original anecdotes. Also. Complete Instructions as to Treatment under Disease. By 
H D EicHAEDSoN. Illustrated with numerous wood engravings. 
This is not only a cheap work, but one of the best ever published on the Dog. 



Bools Published hy A. 0. MooiiE. 9 

HEBIG'S (JUSTUS) FAMILIAR LECTURES ON CHEMISTRY, $0 50 

AxD ITS Relation to Commerce, Physiology, and Agriculture. 
Edlved by Johs Gabdebke, M.D. 
BEMINT'S (C. K.) RABBIT FAHCIER; - - - - 50 

\ Treatise on the Breeding, Rearing, Feeding, and General 
Man^itrement of Rabbits, with remarks upon their diseases and -emedies, to which are 
SiiSl direcUonB fo'r the construction of Hutches Rabb tries, &c., together with 
recipes for copking and dressing fur the Table. Beautiluliy illustrated. 
•THOMFSON (R. B.) ON" THE FOOD OF ANIMALS - - 75 

Fxperimental Rfsearcues on the Food of Animals and the 
Fattening of Cattle ; with remarks on the Food of Man. Based upon Experiments 
undlrtSn by orrler'of the EritLsb Government, by Robebt Dttndas Thomi son, M.D., 
Lecturer on Practical Chemistry, University of Glasgow. 

THE WESTERN FRUIT BOOK; 1^5 

Being a Compend of the History, Modes of Propagation, Oul- 

ture, &c., of Fruit Trees and Shrubs, «&c., &c By F. R. Elliott. 

THE SKILLFUL HOUSEWIFE; - - - - - " ^^ 

Or Complete Guide to Domestic Cookery, Taste, Comfort and 

Economy, embracing 659 recipes pertaining to Household Duties, the c«e of Health, 
Gardening, Birds, Education of Children, Ac, &c By Mrs L. G. Abbll. 
THE AMERICAN FLORIST'S GUIDE; - - - ; '^^ 

Comprising the American Rose Cui^turist and Every Lady heb 

own Flower Gardener. 
EVERY LADY HER 0-.7N FLOWER GARDENER; - - 50 

Addres'^ed to the Industrious and Economical only ; contuuimir 

Flowers: The whole in plain and simple language. By Louisa ..ohn8-.«. 

a - 100 

FISH CULTURE; - ,;" p;^pJ.,tton of certain kinds op 

i^^Sl^'-lPr^^^^S^^^^^T^^^'^^i'^ or Cleveland ACeo,, 

of^Katnral Science. -^ 25 

FL1NT0NG:.A8SES; - - - - -^_^ j;,^^^.; 



COMPRTS- 



A i^«ACTI(^u, Treatise ON Oras^es^-I^^— ^ 

:^^^[J^Stl;S^^^-"S:^ W CHAB. L. FLX.., A.M., secretary 

of Mass. State Board of Agriculture. ^ qq 

w AT? T>FiR OK HEDGES AND EVERGREEITb; - - - ■^'^^ 

CinciuDuti Trlorticultural Society. 



IG Boohs Fublished by A.. 0. Moore. 

MOORE^S 

AU arranged a>nd adapted to the Use o/Anurican Fartner$, 

price: 25 CENTS EACU. 

HOGS; 

Their Origin, Varieties and Management, with a View to Pro- 
fit, and Treatment under Disease; also Plain Directions relative to the naoBt approved 
modes of preserving their Flesh. By IT. D. KirnAKDSON, author of "The Hive and the 
Honey Bee," <fec^ &c. "With illustrations— 12mo. 

IKE HIVE AlS' D THE HONEY BEE ; 

With Plain Directions for Obtaining a Considerable Annuai, 

incsjiiie frcni this branch of Rural Economy; also an Account of the Diseases of Bees 
and their Kemedies, and Remarks as to their Enemies, and the best mode of protecting 
the Hives from iheir attacks. By H. D Kicuardson. With Illustrations. 

DOI^ESTIC rOWLS ; 

Tdeir Natural History, Breeding. Rearing, and General 
Mana^»ment By H. D. Riohakdson, author of "The Natural History of the Fossil 
Deer,'^ dec. With illustrations. 

THE H0L3E; 

TiTEiR Origin and Varieties ; with Plain Directions as to the 

Broedin^. Rearing, and General Manaicement, with Instructions ae to the Treatment of 
Disease. Handsomely Illustrated— I'inoo. By H. D. Richardson. 

THE ROSE ; 

The American Rose Culturist ; beino- a Practical Treatise on the 
Propagatt ^n. Cultivation, and Management In all Seasons, Ac Witfy full directions for 
the Treat aent ol the Dahlia. 

IHS Fii^STS OF THE FAEM ; 

With Instrucions for their Extirpation ; beinjr a Manual of 
Plain DfiMctions for the certain Destruction of every description of Vermin. With 

Eumeroup Illustrations on Wood. 

AN ESSAY ON MANURES ; 

Submitted to the Trustees of the Massachusetts Society fok 

Promoting Agriculture, for their Premium. By Samtjbl H. Dana. 
THE AMERICAN BIRD FANCIER ; 

Considered with Reference to the Breeding, Rearing, Feed- 
ing, Management, and Peculiarities of Cage and House Birds. Illustrated with Engrar-' 
ings. By D. Jay Brovtnk. 

CHEMISTRY MADE EASY; 

For the Use op Farmers. By J. Topham. 
ELEMENTS OF AGRICULTURE ; 

Translated from the French, and Adapted to the use of American 
Farmers. By F. G. Skinnhb. 

3477 4 



